*/Gail drops the mic
74
Excellent column. And that final sentence? BOOM!!!
332
"You can tell them a million times that there aren’t nearly enough providers to take care of all those low-income patients."
Really. I'll bet they do more mammograms than the Planned Parenthood centers.
Thank you, Congressman Mia Love for prying loose that little tidbit.
Really. I'll bet they do more mammograms than the Planned Parenthood centers.
Thank you, Congressman Mia Love for prying loose that little tidbit.
14
I’m as frustrated and horrified as everyone else here with the lack of ethics of this republican panel. Is there a solution? Yes, we need to make gerrymandering illegal. Because politicians are allowed to re-draw their districts to guarantee their re-election, we continue to see paralysis and obstruction at all levels of government, and the republican extremists return every election cycle. Don’t let them continue to get away with it…contact your representatives and insist they work toward outlawing it. Voters need equal representation in a true democracy, and we don’t have that now.
176
Ha! So THAT'S how much the head of the Boys & Girls Clubs make.
50
Half a Million dollars for any position at a "Non-Profit" is ridiculous.
Why not split Planned-Parenthood into two parts:
One part helps the medical needs of the poor and can receive Federal Funding -
sans the $ 500,000 salary
the other part - which provides Abortions -
receives no Federal Funding.
Why not split Planned-Parenthood into two parts:
One part helps the medical needs of the poor and can receive Federal Funding -
sans the $ 500,000 salary
the other part - which provides Abortions -
receives no Federal Funding.
13
The tighter they clench and grip onto their ideaologies the more brittle their grasp will become. Brittleness will eventually shatter. I refuse to let a group of fearful, anachronistic, and embrittled old men make me angry or stressed. The ridiculous and unbalanced attack on PP is appalling, but there are also positive trends out there. Look at the new milestone reached by Sanders.
73
Any nonprofit that can pay its CEO more than the President of the United States is not a nonprofit, and should not be allowed to collect federal founds irregardless of what it promotes.
18
Boys will be boys - and they are just little boys who are mean, nasty, rude, basically not very smart, oh and yes definitely misogynists. Everything in live is better planned, especially parenthood.
108
I am tired of the disinformation put forth by Republicans on ANY issue that they feel they can use to win votes. That PP is "selling baby parts for profit" is ludicrous! If there were profits to be made you know corporate America would have fetus farms all over the country! That PP is "given X million federal dollars"...No, they "earn" X million dollars through services rendered and billed to Medicaid - just like thousand of hospitals who are "given" Medicare and Medicaid funds for treating patients. But, what really concerns me is the fact that so many Americans apparently don't listen, don't think, don't analyze...they just follow along like a bunch of rabid lemmings!
193
I don't care if you're living in Saudi Arabia in a burka or a professional woman in the United States, men want to control women's bodies and lives. Poor women are particularly vulnerable, which just makes them fair game as far as these despicable legislators are concerned. Monumentally disgusting from beginning to end.
201
Poor women in the US are also vulnerable to the rantings of these same men about their irresponsibility in bringing children into the world for whom they cannot provide, and the constant thread of eliminating or cutting back food stamps, reduced lunch, section 8 housing etc.. Chees.
88
I love PP, I love what they do for so many. I can't believe the unfairness of the attacks. My idea is this, based on the fact that they change the name of an unpopular fish to Chilean Sea Bass, what helped this fish become so popular that it is going fast towards extinction, I was wondering, if PP should change their name to "Care for Women", that will make all those men repeat the name over and over again. It will be a heck of a congress hearing.
118
Seems like a logical first step before bringing Cecile Richards before the House Oversight Committee should have been to bring the creators of the video forward to assess their culpability. To investigate someone who is the target of libel while ignoring the slanderer seems somehow backwards.
240
where is the President's voice n thess contretemps. He has two daughters who might benefit from PP services, if only as a demo of value
30
By the way, here's where the PP money comes from, and where it goes.
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/09/planned-parenthoods-services/
Of course, let's not have a little thing like, wossname, reality spoil nobody's innocent fun. I mean, otherwise the House might have actually to do some work on real stuff.
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/09/planned-parenthoods-services/
Of course, let's not have a little thing like, wossname, reality spoil nobody's innocent fun. I mean, otherwise the House might have actually to do some work on real stuff.
35
The bottom line after all this theater is that Planned Parenthood has been funded and will remain a source of health care for women long after the radical Republicans in the House are gone. What is crystal clear is that this attack on Planned Parenthood was 100% political and it failed.
89
failed, are you kidding? The GOP is planning to go full throttle on this again in December.
20
It should be illegal to base taxpayer-funded investigations on false evidence that was fraudulently obtained. The perpetrators of the scam belong in jail, and for congressmen to use their fake evidence to waste millions of dollars
This is a partisan witch hunt and a vicious attack on women and their reproductive healthcare. As has been repeated many times now, the fetal tissue donations were not for profit but were within the norms of tissue donation costs. The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine's editorial in September states the situation clearly, as well as strong support of the essential health care provided which includes cancer screenings, STD treatment, contraceptives.
Why do Republicans hate women so much? Every GOP "investigation" is against a minority member or a woman. Where are their job bills, their infrastructure support, their basic governance requirements like keeping the government running for more than 2 months at a time?
13 days of work in October. For that matter, where are the universal background checks on guns that the head of the NRA (annual salary $920,000) continually blocks even when almost 90% of the American people support them.
The American people also support Planned Parenthood's funding by 2 to 1.
There are very sick, cruel, bigoted, and stupid people in the current Republican Party.
This is a partisan witch hunt and a vicious attack on women and their reproductive healthcare. As has been repeated many times now, the fetal tissue donations were not for profit but were within the norms of tissue donation costs. The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine's editorial in September states the situation clearly, as well as strong support of the essential health care provided which includes cancer screenings, STD treatment, contraceptives.
Why do Republicans hate women so much? Every GOP "investigation" is against a minority member or a woman. Where are their job bills, their infrastructure support, their basic governance requirements like keeping the government running for more than 2 months at a time?
13 days of work in October. For that matter, where are the universal background checks on guns that the head of the NRA (annual salary $920,000) continually blocks even when almost 90% of the American people support them.
The American people also support Planned Parenthood's funding by 2 to 1.
There are very sick, cruel, bigoted, and stupid people in the current Republican Party.
177
"Thank you for keeping the national parks open, Nancy Pelosi."
Shout from the microcosm below: Temper-tantrum threats to shut down the government are an insult to every American. I had wanted to go to Olympic National Park in October, but from the East Coast. Planning such a trip is difficult and expensive -- it's not a merely a day-trip from Seattle. With the prospect of a "Closed" sign on the Olympic Park gate, I abandoned my plans, and now get to spend my vacation here on the East Coast with Hurricane Joaquin. This microscopic drama probably was repeated for some unknown thousands of people. That little Republican "shut-down-the-government" contingent resembles nothing so much as a child in its "terrible two's" throwing a sit-down-on-the-sidewalk temper tantrum. Thanks for jerking American citizens around, G.O.P.! You cost us time and trouble every time you throw one of your red-in-the-face fits
Shout from the microcosm below: Temper-tantrum threats to shut down the government are an insult to every American. I had wanted to go to Olympic National Park in October, but from the East Coast. Planning such a trip is difficult and expensive -- it's not a merely a day-trip from Seattle. With the prospect of a "Closed" sign on the Olympic Park gate, I abandoned my plans, and now get to spend my vacation here on the East Coast with Hurricane Joaquin. This microscopic drama probably was repeated for some unknown thousands of people. That little Republican "shut-down-the-government" contingent resembles nothing so much as a child in its "terrible two's" throwing a sit-down-on-the-sidewalk temper tantrum. Thanks for jerking American citizens around, G.O.P.! You cost us time and trouble every time you throw one of your red-in-the-face fits
86
Hey Gail, It is so refreshing. If these ignoramuses were not so dangerous I would be laughing. Exposing their collective stupidity is a service that you provide. But it makes me shudder to realize that these individuals are actually running the Government of The United States of America.
74
I sure wish all the money the House Republicans like to spend trying to "gotcha" Hillary and/or anyone related to Obama's policies could be spent on infrastructure. Everything else seems too politicized to try to spend it elsewhere, but repairing our power grids, telecommunications, highways and bridges should be no-brainers to keep us competitive in the world. Each "hearing" costs the taxpayers thousands in time & money not spent on the country's needs.
59
So when do all the men in the GOP, along with a sad number of female Republicans, begin their carpet bombing campaign for irresponsible males to put a raincoat on their little soldier or after fathering illegitimate baby #1 or 2 get a vasectomy?
71
What must young people be thinking as they observe this madness- this complete disintegration of reasoned political discourse? Are they thinking that the political process can be used as a means of accomplishing useful and good things? I think their perspective is probably more like that of a hapless child whose parents disagree about everything and argue incessantly. They are powerless to do anything about it but must live with it until they finally leave home with a certainty that no matter what, they are never getting married. Similarly, I fear our dysfunctional political home is going to create a generation of people who see politics as something they want nothing to do with. If it comes to that, who could blame them?
52
What is unfortunate about the Planned Parenthood video doctored or not is that the doctors gave the right wing ammunition. Given the antipathy the right has toward abortion, contraceptive services and to Planned Parenthood itself all staff especially those in the executive positions should be on guard for just this kind of sabotage. Now our Congress critters are going to spend untold amounts of time and taxpayer money investigating and re-investigating Planned Parenthood. What a waste.
37
Last I checked, abortions are perfectly legal in this country and Planned Parenthood does not actually do abortions. And Planned Parenthood does a lot more for women's health than advise on abortions. Also, let's pretend that abortions are illegal and never happen. Who's going to take care of all those unwanted children? Not the parents. But who cares, right?
27
An objective outsider would look at the near-lynching of Planned Parenthood in Congress and ask when a similar session will take place with the head of the NRA. Surely people who care so much about unborn and non-viable fetuses would stampede toward complete gun control that would end the slaughter of thousands of Americans. It's only logical, right?
And don't worry--the salary of the Planned Parenthood leader pales in comparison to NRA salaries. Per Forbes, re the NRA in 2012 "As for salaries, fifty-six people in the organization earned more than $100,000 in 2010—and 10 made more than $250,000. Lapierre does not top the list. Kayne B. Robinson, the executive director of general operations does. He was paid just over $1 million. Lapierre was second, pulling in $970,000 in reportable and estimated comp. Chris W. Cox, the executive director of the group’s lobbying efforts, was third. He earned just over $666,000."
I can't wait to see the Republicans in Congress go after them.
And don't worry--the salary of the Planned Parenthood leader pales in comparison to NRA salaries. Per Forbes, re the NRA in 2012 "As for salaries, fifty-six people in the organization earned more than $100,000 in 2010—and 10 made more than $250,000. Lapierre does not top the list. Kayne B. Robinson, the executive director of general operations does. He was paid just over $1 million. Lapierre was second, pulling in $970,000 in reportable and estimated comp. Chris W. Cox, the executive director of the group’s lobbying efforts, was third. He earned just over $666,000."
I can't wait to see the Republicans in Congress go after them.
57
Planned Parenthood is a dirty organization that lies almost as well as the President and the Democrats in Congress that support it. Time for an independent look into its operations. For $500 million annually in funding this organization we should have the right to do at least that much.
5
Get real- PP has been around for a long time taking care of women's cancer screenings, paps, contraceptive, family planning. The fact that you know nothing about the organization means just that: you are not informed. Set the bar higher for yourself.
Their records are open.
Their records are open.
10
National elections coming? Time to whip up the 'culture war' so that people won't notice the disintegration of infrastructure, buying of the electorate, the manipulation of congressional districts, the ongoing moves to disenfranchise 'those people', and the final death of the American dream.
They have nothing to run on, so they must perforce run against.
They have nothing to run on, so they must perforce run against.
80
I have a solution to the abortion rights issue. A national referendum should be held where each citizen is required to state clearly both his/her name and his/her position on the issue. Those who insist that a fetus is a baby will be taxed to provide a decent level of care for children who would have been aborted for whatever reason from birth through two years of college. Generous, empathetic people may also sign up to help on a voluntary basis.
I for one find abortion a sad solution to problem, as has every woman with whom I have ever discussed the issue, but abortion is far less horrid than life with too little food, too few prospects, neglect, grinding poverty, and little and inferior education.
Somehow I suspect that Evangelicals and Pro-Lifers of every stripe will suddenly fade into the sunset clutching their wallets and purses to their hearts - and I will be able to escape their fatuous, psudo arguments.
I for one find abortion a sad solution to problem, as has every woman with whom I have ever discussed the issue, but abortion is far less horrid than life with too little food, too few prospects, neglect, grinding poverty, and little and inferior education.
Somehow I suspect that Evangelicals and Pro-Lifers of every stripe will suddenly fade into the sunset clutching their wallets and purses to their hearts - and I will be able to escape their fatuous, psudo arguments.
69
Why is there only one organization promoting women's right to reproductive choice? There use to be several. And, as someone who volunteered for Planned Parenthood, I could see that it was rife with organizational drift and careerism. Last, but not least, it's leader has let women down. She unfailingly supports Democrats, even if they just talk the talk, where choice is concerned. When are we going to get some action supporting Roe V. Wade? I wouldn't mind if Ms. Richards were paid a million a year, if only she was an effective leader.
7
Please tell us which Republicans she should support. The GOP despises anything that allows women to choose their reproductive destiny. We'd all love to hear the names of all the GOP candidates who support women's reproductive rights.
13
Beautiful fact that last one abt boys & girls clubs
As for the fictional facts---aka lies-- I like Carlie's one abt harvesting brains. Why wd anyone harvest a brain? And why hasn't any newspaper (NYT?) asked abt that?
As for the fictional facts---aka lies-- I like Carlie's one abt harvesting brains. Why wd anyone harvest a brain? And why hasn't any newspaper (NYT?) asked abt that?
16
In an age of television and video conferencing, congressional hearings are an anachronism. Congressmen are angling to create sound bites that will hit the nightly news and internet and be useful in the next campaign. They all have to have time for this whether they are up to speed on the often technical matters being discussed or not. They do the questioning themselves rather than having a staff member who is expert in the area, the usual evasions, and asking followup questions.
The hearing purports to give them information they do not already have, but real new information, such as Nixon's taping system, appears very seldom. Modern technology has transformed these hearings into staged events, with the same relation to searching for truth as professional wrestling has to college wrestling. Congressmen skip the hearings or sit there bored or on their cellphones as their colleagues try to trap the witnesses into producing snippets that will go viral without making the congressmen look ridiculous.
Congressional procedures in general need a basic reworking, but any reworking will become a battlefield where factions struggle to get procedures that will give them an advantage. So Congressional factions are doomed to use the old procedures in new ways that sabotage their original functioning. Congress is becoming a reality show, and a very bad one to boot.
The hearing purports to give them information they do not already have, but real new information, such as Nixon's taping system, appears very seldom. Modern technology has transformed these hearings into staged events, with the same relation to searching for truth as professional wrestling has to college wrestling. Congressmen skip the hearings or sit there bored or on their cellphones as their colleagues try to trap the witnesses into producing snippets that will go viral without making the congressmen look ridiculous.
Congressional procedures in general need a basic reworking, but any reworking will become a battlefield where factions struggle to get procedures that will give them an advantage. So Congressional factions are doomed to use the old procedures in new ways that sabotage their original functioning. Congress is becoming a reality show, and a very bad one to boot.
25
Most of America is sickened by and tired of the minority of radical so-called Christians pushing their medieval belief sets on the majority of us. They are profoundly anti-American.
Yes, it's easy to make things not function. A determined and unscrupulous minority can destroy.
A good way to judge a group like this is to observe their willingness to lie and to promulgate lies.
If they believe those cut-up tapes, they're too stupid to be in office. If they don't believe them, they're simply liars.
Yes, it's easy to make things not function. A determined and unscrupulous minority can destroy.
A good way to judge a group like this is to observe their willingness to lie and to promulgate lies.
If they believe those cut-up tapes, they're too stupid to be in office. If they don't believe them, they're simply liars.
90
For me it all boils down to a medieval form of misogyny.
What do these conservative House Republicans have against women. They are our wives, our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters who under the law have the same civil rights as men. They are not a sub-species whose civil rights and healthcare must be vilified and restricted for political gain.
I sincerely hope American women show their displeasure at the polls and help vote these grandstanding, misogynistic clowns out of office in 2016.
What do these conservative House Republicans have against women. They are our wives, our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters who under the law have the same civil rights as men. They are not a sub-species whose civil rights and healthcare must be vilified and restricted for political gain.
I sincerely hope American women show their displeasure at the polls and help vote these grandstanding, misogynistic clowns out of office in 2016.
93
The Republican inquisitors were complaining about big salaries? Geesh. I guess it's the "New Republican" to advocate better distribution of income.
Anyway, Gail, it's this issue of parenthood's actually being "planned". It smacks of big government. And you know about big government. Things go better when they are *unplanned*, like the 2008 crash. Were it planned, it probably wouldn't have happened. Then where would we be?
Likewise for the services that Planned Parenthood provides. The women who rely on those services would be better off on their own, just as the banking businesses would have been in the 2008 crash. Sure, the measures that the government took let the banks recover, but that's no fun. They needed to do that by themselves.
Trey Gowdy is now realizing that his Benghazi committee could have done it by themselves, without the help from Kevin McCarthy. Just in a few more years they might have seen light at the end of that dark Benghazi Committee tunnel. Now it looks like they are working for the RNC.
We can do everything by ourselves, Gail. True, the wealthy can do *more* of it by themselves, but then, they earned it. Their lives are beyond the encumbrances of Republican anti-choice legislation.
Anyway, Gail, it's this issue of parenthood's actually being "planned". It smacks of big government. And you know about big government. Things go better when they are *unplanned*, like the 2008 crash. Were it planned, it probably wouldn't have happened. Then where would we be?
Likewise for the services that Planned Parenthood provides. The women who rely on those services would be better off on their own, just as the banking businesses would have been in the 2008 crash. Sure, the measures that the government took let the banks recover, but that's no fun. They needed to do that by themselves.
Trey Gowdy is now realizing that his Benghazi committee could have done it by themselves, without the help from Kevin McCarthy. Just in a few more years they might have seen light at the end of that dark Benghazi Committee tunnel. Now it looks like they are working for the RNC.
We can do everything by ourselves, Gail. True, the wealthy can do *more* of it by themselves, but then, they earned it. Their lives are beyond the encumbrances of Republican anti-choice legislation.
23
The Watergate break-in took place in 1972. By mid-1974, Nixon was gone. Just two years.
5
Thank you for the last line. Priceless. Though, given the rest of the "hearing" (in that we got to hear from a lot of people who were supposed to be there to hear from witnesses), I'm not surprised you're the only one to highlight this fact.
43
That line did sum things up nicely, didn't it?
3
It is easier for rightest politicians to go after women with unwanted pregnancies than it is for them to go after the CEOs, CFOs, and Leveraged Buyout Barons who betrayed America's Manufacturing Machine to the Communist Chinese. Tens of millions of abortions in China every year are legal and a government service available on request.
Anyone ever hear of a pious conservative politician threatening to cut off the "Made in China" trade if the Communists do not stop "murdering" tens of millions of babies every year?
Anyone ever hear of a pious conservative politician threatening to cut off the "Made in China" trade if the Communists do not stop "murdering" tens of millions of babies every year?
52
Hobby Lobby, who challenged the contraception requirement in the ACA because they said it violated their religious beliefs to cover certain forms of birth control they believed were abortifacients* buys most of their inventory from China. Irony or hypocrisy?
*They aren't, but somehow reality didn't enter into the discussion.
*They aren't, but somehow reality didn't enter into the discussion.
6
The only goal of the Republican Party is making money for the rich.
When they are out of power, they are frustrated and their focus turns to getting power back through the magic of pandering.
That's all we will see from them until they get back in power. And when they are, watch out !
When they are out of power, they are frustrated and their focus turns to getting power back through the magic of pandering.
That's all we will see from them until they get back in power. And when they are, watch out !
23
Another great column, Gail. You said it all, so no need for comments. Keep up the good work!
23
And the base salary for Peter Gelb at the Metropolitan Opera was $1.6 million on the latest Form 990 reported on Guidestar. What vital services is his organization providing?
22
World class opera - or whatever entertainment you value - soothes the soul and enriches our lives. I consider that vital. Especially in the face of the troubles the US and the world are facing right now.
I take it that you don't like opera. Opera and other art forms prove that we are not all insane animals like the majority of our republican congress.
There are lies, damned lies, and anything coming out of the mouth of a Congressional Republican.
35
Aaaargh, what a spectacle that was and thanks for your witty observations once again.
Ms. Richards has more class in her little finger than the combined class of her 'interrogators' known to me as the gang who couldn't think straight. It's sad to put someone of her accomplishment through this farce because they have time to waste.
As for Planned Parenthood, it could not be more clear what they do and what they don't do. A better chart, Mr Chaffetz, would help. I suggest you consult the Excel program in office suite before going public the next time. As for Rep Duncan, I can't imagine much would penetrate his thinking because clearly it is a challenge for him to reason.
When the GOP finally figures out how many women vote they may get it. Until then they will waste money, airtime and opportunities to persuade that there missions are not insane and actually wrapped in some planning and understanding of real issues.
Ms. Richards has more class in her little finger than the combined class of her 'interrogators' known to me as the gang who couldn't think straight. It's sad to put someone of her accomplishment through this farce because they have time to waste.
As for Planned Parenthood, it could not be more clear what they do and what they don't do. A better chart, Mr Chaffetz, would help. I suggest you consult the Excel program in office suite before going public the next time. As for Rep Duncan, I can't imagine much would penetrate his thinking because clearly it is a challenge for him to reason.
When the GOP finally figures out how many women vote they may get it. Until then they will waste money, airtime and opportunities to persuade that there missions are not insane and actually wrapped in some planning and understanding of real issues.
37
In an interview with Diane Rehm (NPR) on Planned Parenthood (yesterday) one of her guests said that the group interviewing them about fetal tissue tried to ambush them into describing expenses as profits. In the full video that was recorded, the doctor said that they corrected the interviewer several times: "They are expenses not profits." Of course, this was on the cutting room floor when the right published their video.
56
Abortion, gay marriage, border walls, and I recall the "issue" of flag burning being pointedly discussed by Republicans during the Viet Nam war, too. Anything emotional to distract from their disastrous economic policies.
47
The level of discourse (or the non-existence thereof) on women's health has sunk to a new low after yesterday's hearing. As a college student (in the 1970's), I was able to walk into any major city in the US and know that I could find affordable quality health care through planned parenthood-- I never dreamed that such a beneficial and life affirming program could be potentially wiped out. These anti- women 's health attacks need to stop. It took years for women to begin to get the services they need. Now it appears that we have to fight for this all over again... It is gut wrenching to watch the pendulum swing back, leaving poor and often minority women to suffer the consequences of reduced or no longer available health care options .
227
Your choice of the phrase "life affirming" is truly an ironic one, in dealing with the nation's largest provider of legalized killing.
1
I can remember the days when science, factual data, and the truth were able to refute an argument.
The GOP has changed that.
The GOP has changed that.
56
"Disprove this!" became proof enough after Reagan came in.
2
This GOP Inquisition / smear campaign is just more evidence of a party that is bankrupt for ideas, and lacking in morality authority for leadership, and looking for scapegoats. The formula is simple: Discredit, Demonize, Defeat, Destroy.
Where is the rightwing outrage over the millions of tax payers dollars wasted on the Benghazi nonsense. This thing is going to have more episodes than "Game of Thrones".
Where is the rightwing outrage over the millions of tax payers dollars wasted on the Benghazi nonsense. This thing is going to have more episodes than "Game of Thrones".
44
Nobody can quite word things the way Gail Collins words things. One wonders if there is any chance that she could write a third column each week, that third piece being a replacement for the one written by the self-mesmerized Maureen Dowd?
As to the subject at hand, there are at least two Republican members of the House Oversight Committee who are in need this morning: (1) Jason Chaffetz desperately needs a big, big Band-Aid to cover the lacerations and bruises he rightly received from Cecile Richards' responses to his non-questions (having taken such a highly-publicized beating, he might also need a therapist---perhaps he could call Ms. Dowd and get the name of hers) and (2) John Duncan desperately needs someone to tell him that the comb-over he employs to hide whatever he's hiding under that humongous mane of white hair just isn't working.
Oh, and Mr. Duncan also desperately needs someone to let him know that neither Planned Parenthood nor Ms. Richards has been "caught" doing anything, despite his final sentence employed so as to insure that Ms. Richards would not be able to respond to it.
As to the subject at hand, there are at least two Republican members of the House Oversight Committee who are in need this morning: (1) Jason Chaffetz desperately needs a big, big Band-Aid to cover the lacerations and bruises he rightly received from Cecile Richards' responses to his non-questions (having taken such a highly-publicized beating, he might also need a therapist---perhaps he could call Ms. Dowd and get the name of hers) and (2) John Duncan desperately needs someone to tell him that the comb-over he employs to hide whatever he's hiding under that humongous mane of white hair just isn't working.
Oh, and Mr. Duncan also desperately needs someone to let him know that neither Planned Parenthood nor Ms. Richards has been "caught" doing anything, despite his final sentence employed so as to insure that Ms. Richards would not be able to respond to it.
30
Let's show the violence of war in graphic details...our young men and women getting blown to bits and damaged for life...maybe that would make us anti-war and genuinely "pro-life."
30
Not to mention the 50 or more times as many already-born Iraqi and Afghani children and their mothers being blown to bits or badly maimed by American shrapnel and bullets than our own young men and women suffered.
3
The hearings were just another example of men telling a woman to shut up and behave. In the 2012 election, single women went for Obama 2 to 1. After seeing the disgraceful way these Republican men treated Ms. Richards, I don't see things improving for the Republicans in the 2016 election.
37
What really puzzles me about the Grungy Oddball Pratty (GOP) is when sensible people in this country are going to wake up to the fact that these nutballs need to be got out of government and the place aired out of the foul odor of their idiocy.
32
Thanks for your always insightful (and amusing) comments on the ridiculous circus in our nation's political arena. And thanks for pointing out that the Big Brothers Big Sisters exec makes more than the beleaguered CEO of Planned Parenthood who, frankly, ought to receive hazard pay. Get a life, Mr. Duncan!
34
Not Big Brothers Big Sisters!! Boys & Girls Clubs. Two wonderful organization but with totally different missions.
Former Big of a 13-year-old Little.
Former Big of a 13-year-old Little.
1
The worst part, of course, is that the very same people in Congress who spend their days actively avoiding doing anything that vaguely resembles running a first-world country rather than a meeting of the high school dance committee, will be enthusiastically sent back to do more of the same.
Who will send them back to continue turning the federal government, and indeed our entire country, into a sick joke? Oh right, the people flying giant flags off the backs of their pickup trucks, yelling at strangers who don't look patriotic enough when the national anthem is played at a sporting event, and getting weepy about what they assume to be the Constitution (but is actually just what Fox News tells them is in the Constitution). "God bless America," they'll cross-stitch onto yet another pillow, but when they step into that booth they're the ones condemning us to ruin.
Who will send them back to continue turning the federal government, and indeed our entire country, into a sick joke? Oh right, the people flying giant flags off the backs of their pickup trucks, yelling at strangers who don't look patriotic enough when the national anthem is played at a sporting event, and getting weepy about what they assume to be the Constitution (but is actually just what Fox News tells them is in the Constitution). "God bless America," they'll cross-stitch onto yet another pillow, but when they step into that booth they're the ones condemning us to ruin.
43
These guys may have been on the high school dance committee, but I doubt if any of them got a date for the prom.
3
I don't know about defending "the sale of baby body parts" but I would not only defend but encourage the excising and sale of certain body parts of a whole bunch of Republican politicians.
'Course, there are a couple of parts they are probable missing or, if they have them, they wouldn't fetch much in the open market. I'm speaking of course of a heart and a brain.
'Course, there are a couple of parts they are probable missing or, if they have them, they wouldn't fetch much in the open market. I'm speaking of course of a heart and a brain.
24
This column is exactly on point.
As always.
As always.
14
The salary she receives is not inconsistent with the requirement that she have to put up with the obnoxious and moronic type of grilling that she has been receiving.
20
She deserves a raise!
2
My problem with the Planned Parenthood witch hunt is that it’s contrived. It’s all about a women’s right to choose and making the choice a narrow voice has in the county. The video was made up by a right to life group and has zero credibility. If pro-life really want to support life, then start with the children that are born, going to bed hungry and need education and guidance. It is pathetic all they do is wave signs and marginalize women. Health care for the poorest group in this country is not too much to ask for.
25
The base salary of the Boys and Girls Club is $576,000, $56,000 more than Planned Parenthood because the CEO of Boys and Girls Club is Jim Clark and man and of course the name of the organization starts with Boys. Proving the point that men make more than woman at every level.
37
But, the head of the boys and girls club is a male person named Jim Clark. And we never, ever question salaries paid to male persons, don't you know that?
34
How to testify before Congress: have a simple sentence that you say over and over to the various congress members who will ask the same question. In the case of Planned Parenthood, the sentence is: Planned Parenthood does not sell baby body parts.
22
Planned killing is their business, and that is the truth. They would not be in business expect for killing. It is not political, it is about killing.
4
You are, to put it as politely as I possibly can, demented. As the name says, it is about planning whether or not you're ready to have children. Mostly they do this by contraception. Over the years, they've expanded to provide a wide range of health services to both men and women. But you've clearly never been there. I have. So you can believe a bunch of liars. Or you can believe somebody who actually knows. Your choice.
45
What is it that you think PP does? Send out waves of feminazi ninjas, and grab girls and women off the street in the dark of noght?
23
What are you trying to do now? Deny the reality and inevitability of death?
8
Excellent and honest opinion piece. Unfortunately, we are already deep into 2016 Election politics. Between yesterday and the elections, America most urgent priorities will be on hold. I don't anticipate any heavy lifting on behalf of the American people. The opposition to legal abortions will continue.
Thanks for you last sentence. Until your column I was a little turned off by the salary of this healthcare provider.
Thanks for you last sentence. Until your column I was a little turned off by the salary of this healthcare provider.
10
I personally think abortion is wrong. We would treat a single cell bacteria on Mars as the most amazing sign of life, but a partially developed fetus as something that can be aborted whenever. I think abortion should be legal, but rare. Where I differ from republicans, is that I care about the fetus after it's born. Can't force a man and woman to have a child but then offer no support to raise that child. You just ruin three lives. We have to provide resources to the man, woman, and child to they can all be functioning members of society, not just wishing they were dead because they live in a hellish existence.
13
i don't agree, and thank you for stating your view simply, without a lot of bluster and/or invented fact.
By the way, you might go back and look at some of Nat Hentoff's comments in the "Voice." That was the first place I ran into the idea that if you're gonna be pro-life, you need to be pro-life right down the line.
By the way, you might go back and look at some of Nat Hentoff's comments in the "Voice." That was the first place I ran into the idea that if you're gonna be pro-life, you need to be pro-life right down the line.
4
I appreciate your ability to disagree without being disagreeable. And to look at the actual facts both sides of the issue. You and I disagree on the first point. I do think people should have this choice. Sometimes we need it. I did. But we absolutely DO agree on your last point. Failing to provide services to raise that child will ruin lives. Thank you for having a civilized discussion on this.
3
Edwin, and your position ("abortion should be legal, but rare") is the position of most (all?) liberals and progressives. The problem with these Republicans (and the Pope, by the way) is that they do not have the good sense to realize that providing contraceptives is one way to help make abortions rare.
18
So Gail, the video which has been independently authendicated shows Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Senior Director of Medical Services, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, describing how Planned Parenthood sells the body parts of aborted unborn children and admitting she uses partial-birth abortions to supply intact body parts.
What about that Gail?
What about that Gail?
5
Well, fake Tom Paine who dowsn't seem to know that Tom Paine was an atheist and rationalist, I can't speak for Gail.
However, your claim's nonsense. Try factcheck for reality--that is, if you're innarested in such things.
However, your claim's nonsense. Try factcheck for reality--that is, if you're innarested in such things.
21
Tom,
Please direct us to, or provide a link to, where we can see the independent authentication you refer to.
Thank you.
Please direct us to, or provide a link to, where we can see the independent authentication you refer to.
Thank you.
11
What about you? Are you an organ donor on your driver's license?
Many people choose to donate their organs to make their own sudden death less meaningless. What do you think of that?
Many people choose to donate their organs to make their own sudden death less meaningless. What do you think of that?
15
God Bless Gail Collins! Maybe Republicans in Congress--who're very concerned about the minimum wage being too generous--would like to hold hearings on executive pay in the US.
28
Since they spend so much time pontificating, the committee members should be put under oath and subject to prosecution for perjury.
22
1. Why would you think the GOP interrogators would want to be confused by the facts?:)
2. Amazing that the GOP big bad boys need to beat up women to feel strong.
The GOP...theocrats on parade.
2. Amazing that the GOP big bad boys need to beat up women to feel strong.
The GOP...theocrats on parade.
45
The GOP does not want the truth they only want to score points with their uninformed followers ... Is this really the most important issue of our times?
33
What I saw in the video of the interrogation of Ms Richards was many dozens of new nails being pounded into the GOP coffin by nitwits who shouldn't be in charge of managing a small grocery store. Women outnumber men in the US & if you add in the vast number of men who LOVE women, the Republican Party could follow the path of the Passenger Pigeon over the next couple of election cycles & such a wonderful gift to the world that would be!
Until there is punishment for people who doctor & fake videos attempting to bring down elected officials & non-profit groups working for the good of the underclasses, there will be more & more fake videos. All these investigative committees are a waste of taxpayer dollars. Of course with Mitch McConnell & the likes of John Boehner calling the shots, America is doomed to death by investigative committee which echos Khrushchev prediction that America would die from within. We got tons of within going on thanks to Republicans who misunderstand the meaning of the words, governing & government.
I hold no allegiance to political parties but I seek to know the difference between good & bad, right & wrong & for over 20 years now, the Republican Party has done nothing good, nothing right & only brought misery to this nation & the world. Our problems today aren't caused by ISIS. It's the Republican Party who are our greatest enemy. Get the Bible & the Oligarchs out of our government before it's too late!
I say this as a former Republican.
Until there is punishment for people who doctor & fake videos attempting to bring down elected officials & non-profit groups working for the good of the underclasses, there will be more & more fake videos. All these investigative committees are a waste of taxpayer dollars. Of course with Mitch McConnell & the likes of John Boehner calling the shots, America is doomed to death by investigative committee which echos Khrushchev prediction that America would die from within. We got tons of within going on thanks to Republicans who misunderstand the meaning of the words, governing & government.
I hold no allegiance to political parties but I seek to know the difference between good & bad, right & wrong & for over 20 years now, the Republican Party has done nothing good, nothing right & only brought misery to this nation & the world. Our problems today aren't caused by ISIS. It's the Republican Party who are our greatest enemy. Get the Bible & the Oligarchs out of our government before it's too late!
I say this as a former Republican.
80
Gail, your thoughts here are clear and well stated. I totally agree with your assessments. I would add that PP needs to: 1) be open and accurate regarding its finances, and 2) continue to sincerely apologize for its lack of professionalism and sensitivity in the areas pertaining to negotiating procurement, handling, and sale of fetal tissue. A lot of people (including me, a PP supporter) really choke on those CMP videos. Some of the staff of PP really blew it, and PP needs to elevate its standards of professionalism. How about not even selling fetal tissue - just donate the tissue in an appropriate and respectful manner. Does this really need to be a revenue source? PP needs to pick up the clue phone and make a few changes.
3
See what I mean? this writer has NEVER been a Planned Parenthood supporter, or they'd know that a) PP makes its finances clear every year, b) isn't legally allowed to profit by selling fetal tissue, and only to recoup its costs.
As for the complaint about indecorous language, I recommend working in a NICU for a year. I have--it happened to be the year that Ed Meese promulgated a pack of regulations that among other things mandated keeping even anencephalic newborns on life-support as long as possible--and I ASSURE all and sundry that anything said on the doctored video was as nothing compared to what I heard nurses and doctors say.
As for the complaint about indecorous language, I recommend working in a NICU for a year. I have--it happened to be the year that Ed Meese promulgated a pack of regulations that among other things mandated keeping even anencephalic newborns on life-support as long as possible--and I ASSURE all and sundry that anything said on the doctored video was as nothing compared to what I heard nurses and doctors say.
22
If you watched the testimony, PP is a NOT for Profit, and only charges for its cost to provide services. The only federal money PP receives is when it provides health care services to men and woman eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. Like all other medical services providers. After services are provided, PP submits insurance or in the case of federal funds Medicaid claims.
17
Do you read the newspapers or check your facts? Planned Parenthood does not sell fetal tissue. By law it may charge a fee to cover the cost of transmitting the tissue to research institutions. Check out what the Red Cross does in this area.
I really get perplexed when I read that PP should apologize for an edited video production that is doctored (falsified). Why should it be held accountable for something that simply is not true?
I really get perplexed when I read that PP should apologize for an edited video production that is doctored (falsified). Why should it be held accountable for something that simply is not true?
13
The radical right's multiple Congressional committee hearings are there to obstruct, pander, agitate & demagogue.
Their loyal dog whistle voters really aren't oblivious that the politics are by way of talk radio conditioning of their reactionary attitudes.
Scoring points against Hilary & Planned Parenthood works.
The reporting media are duly functioning, and the system works, perversely.
Shutting-down the Federal government again is the insane objective to destroy the results of the New Deal, the Fair Deal, and the Great Society.
The Southern Strategy is reality: The last two Congressional elections have
worked to wreak havoc: Ditto the upcoming 2016 elections.
Thanks to Kevin Phillips for cluing me & everybody 45 years ago.
Tea Party populist conservatism is radicalism.
I can't believe Mr. Conservative Robert Taft would have truly wanted this.
John Boehner wept.
Their loyal dog whistle voters really aren't oblivious that the politics are by way of talk radio conditioning of their reactionary attitudes.
Scoring points against Hilary & Planned Parenthood works.
The reporting media are duly functioning, and the system works, perversely.
Shutting-down the Federal government again is the insane objective to destroy the results of the New Deal, the Fair Deal, and the Great Society.
The Southern Strategy is reality: The last two Congressional elections have
worked to wreak havoc: Ditto the upcoming 2016 elections.
Thanks to Kevin Phillips for cluing me & everybody 45 years ago.
Tea Party populist conservatism is radicalism.
I can't believe Mr. Conservative Robert Taft would have truly wanted this.
John Boehner wept.
18
For those of us old enough to remember, and alas I'm one of them, this all sounds like "deja vu all over again" to quote another famous member of that era in the McCarthy communist witch hunts and the House Un-American Activities Committee of the 1950s. The vile and virulent, fear-based Republican Party of that time has been replaced by the Republican Tea Party zealots chasing after Planned Parenthood and other subversive forces. The frightening difference between then and now is that we no longer have a Republican President of the stature of Dwight Eisenhower to rebuke the Senator McCarthys (think Ted Cruz) in Congress nor the strong moral voice of a Joseph Welch to publicly state for all America to see on the televised hearings “Until this moment, Senator, I think I had never gauged your cruelty or your recklessness. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” Instead, the Republican Party has become the McCarthy (and I don't just mean Kevin) Party of vitriolic, destructive, anti-government, Christian crusaders. Sadly, Pope Francis missed the chance to call them out and instead, we now learn, embraced their poster crusader, Kim Davis, who, like them, seeks to put religious law over civil, Constitutional law. We all heard the Pope's call to follow the Golden Rule; now we desperately need some leaders to come forward to practice it.
43
Don't blame the Pope for our sins. I don't agree with Ms.Davis, who made a huge error in not resigning (thereby "rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's) but I do understand she's a conscientious objector.
In any event the comparison with McCarthyism, which I saw in action up close, is quite apt. Soon, the Speaker in waiting may take a blank sheet of paper from his pocket and claim it's a list of 200 Iranian agents in the State Department.
In any event the comparison with McCarthyism, which I saw in action up close, is quite apt. Soon, the Speaker in waiting may take a blank sheet of paper from his pocket and claim it's a list of 200 Iranian agents in the State Department.
3
It's clear to me that we ladies need to march on Washington once again to show that we are fed up with the GOP trying to eliminate our reproductive rights. I accepted that I was going to have to fight them on abortion long ago. What is shocking is how clear it is that they also oppose birth control.
29
marching is a waste of our valuable time. Its MUCH more efficiently used registering and voting. And think of this travesty as a huge fund raising effort by the GOP for PP and women's issues. Thanks GOP, keep talking!
2
Since the details of the menu seemed to produce more Republican indignation than anything else perhaps Planned Parenthood can arrange to discuss to discuss the minutia of fetal tissue transfer over burgers and beer. Of course lay persons will find graphic conversation of medical procedure to be abhorrent while surgeons may casually dine over it. But REALLY...this irrational emotionalism has no place in the chambers of governance and the venting of spleen, not to mention outright bullying of a responsible servant of women's rights and needs is positively unseemly.
23
Doesn't federal law already prohibit the use of federal money for abortions? Doesn't federal law already prohibit so-called partial birth abortions? What do Republicans really want? If it's the abolition of contraceptives, the Supreme Court ruled years ago that people have the constitutional right to use birth control devices. Of course, we now have a new group of Supreme Court justices, so perhaps it's time to test again whether government can restrict our right to control the number of offspring.
23
What is clear from many of these "special investigations" is that our representatives are paid way too much for the value they provide.
29
Rather than calling attention to Ms. Richards' salary, let's call attention to the cushy salaries and perks elected officials get, for life, in exchange (especially in the case of republicans) for holding positions they are unfit and unable to carry out. Most elected officials should be booted out of office for their perverse attempts at bringing government to a standstill, rather than cooperatively governing. Ideologies truly blind people.
4
Love Planned Parenthood. But then again I am a women who gratefully used their services many years ago. I am not a wealthy old man in Congress who has never stepped foot inside a Planned Parenthood.
43
Seems like it is also time for those who heed Christ rather than Deuteronomy to take back His name. Before we were an insistently "Christian nation" we were a lot more Christian.
3
Collins: "But to be fair, this ('the disrespect, the misogyny') is really standard operating procedure in the House these days..."
These guys really took to heart Pope Francis' appeal regarding the importance of "dialogue" which he noted 12 times in his address to Congress. I knew that was one that would fall on deaf ears.
These guys really took to heart Pope Francis' appeal regarding the importance of "dialogue" which he noted 12 times in his address to Congress. I knew that was one that would fall on deaf ears.
30
The contrast between Cecile Richards' demeanor and that of the men who were grilling her was stark and clear. She held her seat with grace and strength. These so-called men should take a cue from that, if they can. The extent to which Republicans have gone off their rocker is now becoming widely clear, not just clear to those who are reading and paying attention.
How far is this going to go, is the question. Why are we not able yet to throw the proverbial wrench into these lunatic works? Not one of these people has any shame, and they have no shame about having no shame. A group without conscience claiming "God" on their side. If there was ever an advertisement to run from that "God," this is it. It's time to take back our country and restore sanity. And I have to say, I believe your columns, Gail, go a good way toward that project. Thank you.
How far is this going to go, is the question. Why are we not able yet to throw the proverbial wrench into these lunatic works? Not one of these people has any shame, and they have no shame about having no shame. A group without conscience claiming "God" on their side. If there was ever an advertisement to run from that "God," this is it. It's time to take back our country and restore sanity. And I have to say, I believe your columns, Gail, go a good way toward that project. Thank you.
64
As dignified and cooperative as Ms. Richards was, I wish she had insisted on not being interrupted. After she had answered a question the first time and was asked again a second time, she might have said,
" I have already answered your question. Apparently you did not hear it. I am willing to answer it a second time, but only under the condition that you listen to my answer, without interrupting me.
This will be the case for each question that you ask me for the remainder of this hearing.
When you are ready to comply with this basic courtesy, tell me, and I will answer your question once again. If you are not ready to comply with this, then you will have made clear that you are not interested in the answers to my questions and there is no point in my attempting to offer them to you.
So, are you ready to allow me to answer the questions you are asking me without interruption?"
" I have already answered your question. Apparently you did not hear it. I am willing to answer it a second time, but only under the condition that you listen to my answer, without interrupting me.
This will be the case for each question that you ask me for the remainder of this hearing.
When you are ready to comply with this basic courtesy, tell me, and I will answer your question once again. If you are not ready to comply with this, then you will have made clear that you are not interested in the answers to my questions and there is no point in my attempting to offer them to you.
So, are you ready to allow me to answer the questions you are asking me without interruption?"
24
Collins: "However this is a concept that her opponents made it clear they plan to never get their heads around."
Gail, these guys are not the "best and brightest." They are the "poster children" for the "simplistic reductionism" that Pope Francis lamented in his address to Congress.
Gail, these guys are not the "best and brightest." They are the "poster children" for the "simplistic reductionism" that Pope Francis lamented in his address to Congress.
16
Chaffetz's congressional committee wanted ms. Richards to be effectively mute as evidenced by their constant interruptions and being a woman she should have known and prepared for this. She could have prepared a few written down statements on signs that she could have held up to respond such as "that's not true," and "check your source." Also, she should have been prepared for her annual salary question because everyone knows that republicans want women to earn LESS than any of their male counterparts. Reassuring the republicans that she made less than the boys and girls of America may have softened their profoundly disrespectful treatment of the little lady.
9
Planned Parenthood needs to change its name to something more Orwellian and Republican-friendly. Rural Health Freedom, Choices for Real Americans - something that uses those words Republicans love, and doesn't mention anything about sex or reproduction. It's just specialized health care, serving Americans, giving them choices and freedom - nothing to see here, folks.
22
"God's Love, We Deliver" is already taken.
Yes this is all just a cover for the Repubs catering to the religious right who quote the Bible and stuff. Thou shall not kill? Well, that is well and good, but God is smart enough to know that human society wasn't and wouldn't be so clear cut as to this and just about every thing else. Wars, executions, self defense, the list is long. Whether abortion is the taking of a human life is a matter of opinion in most cases, and abortions are not done on viable fetuses in the womb, despite their claim re: an aborted child waving its arms and screaming on the table. The doctored videos are the smoking gun for this bunch, no one doctors footage when they are in possession of the right cause. The rabid, angry thinking of a certain slant has gotten a huge section of the voting public sold on this crap, even when it is categorically shown to be false. What gives? We need a new paradigm.
16
It is marvelous the outrage inflicted on the purported seller of baby parts are excruciated with any mention at all of the purchasers of this “grotesque practice”. It brings to mind some horrendous fiend lurking somewhere in the sewers waiting for their gruesome food. In fact the so called "purchasers” are the people who are fighting Alzheimer’s and cancer other plagues on society. They could not go on with their important work without having materials to work with that are donated by families and perfectly legal. Aside from being contrived and false, it is ignorant and stupid. I cannot stop wondering how arguments like this can take place in a country that has so many college graduates.
30
Has anyone added up how much money is being wasted by public employees participating in solely partisan activities? It's shameless and disgusting. Doesn't sound conservative in the least.
28
It does smack of progressivism however.
I'm reminded of the "She's a witch!" sketch from Monty Python. If you don't remember: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g
With a House clamoring for fiscal austerity and budgetary prudence, I know where I'd look to cut some dead weight.
With a House clamoring for fiscal austerity and budgetary prudence, I know where I'd look to cut some dead weight.
12
"The base salary for the head of the Boys & Girls Clubs, by the way, is $576,000." Touché .
10
It's not a problem, because he's a boy!!
2
Congressional conservatives spend more time fighting about funding for Planned Parenthood than renewing health care funding to 9/11 first responders. Just where are their priorities? Oh wait, they don't have any.
15
These inquisitors are truly flawed. The truth means nothing to them and reality is something to manipulate. Hopefully they are digging their own political graves. American mullahs.
17
For those of us old enough to remember, and alas I'm one of them, this all sounds like "deja vu all over again" to quote another famous member of that era in the McCarthy communist witch hunts and the House Un-American Activities Committee of the 1950s. The vile and virulent, fear-based Republican Party of that time has been replaced by the Republican Tea Party zealots chasing after Planned Parenthood and other subversive forces. The frightening difference between then and now is that we no longer have a Republican President of the stature of Dwight Eisenhower to rebuke the Senator McCarthys (think Ted Cruz) in Congress nor the strong moral voice of a Joseph Welch to publicly state for all America to see on the televised hearings “Until this moment, Senator, I think I had never gauged your cruelty or your recklessness. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” Instead, the Republican Party has become the McCarthy (and I don't just mean Kevin) Party of vitriolic, destructive, anti-government, Christian crusaders. Sadly, Pope Francis missed the chance to call them out and instead, we now learn, embraced their poster crusader, Kim Davis, who, like them, seeks to put religious law over civil, Constitutional law. We all heard the Pope's call to follow the Golden Rule; now we desperately need some leaders to come forward to practice it.
16
The base salary for the head of the Boys & Girls Clubs, by the way, is $576,000.
--------------------
Zing!
(You can't add that, sister, but I can!)
--------------------
Zing!
(You can't add that, sister, but I can!)
13
That final sentence! Gail Collins! Boom!
16
That was her head imploding from lack of original thought.
Are any other voters out there tired of congress wasting our tax dollars on witch hunts and not doing the job they were sent there to do?
33
"Planned Parenthood Exposed...Examining Horrific Abortion Practices" - committee. "Will you defend the sale of baby parts?"
What saddens and scares me most is that not only do these vicious crazies make erroneous statements vaguely disguised as questions, but that there are still millions of people that only hear the embedded assumption as a given truth. It is nearly impossible to undo those beliefs once they are out there. This is why the Democrats are always playing catch up - who could know when and from where the next lie will be spoken?
What saddens and scares me most is that not only do these vicious crazies make erroneous statements vaguely disguised as questions, but that there are still millions of people that only hear the embedded assumption as a given truth. It is nearly impossible to undo those beliefs once they are out there. This is why the Democrats are always playing catch up - who could know when and from where the next lie will be spoken?
27
sMy mother was a co-founder of Planned Parenthood in San Antonio & outh Texas for the purpose of giving women control of their bodies through family planning assistance. She wanted women to have a chance for life pursuits in addition to motherhood. That was in 1939, and she would be 104 years old today, so no, Gail, my mother would never have imagined that Planned Parenthood would be a political topic in 2015. In fact, she would be horrified and enraged that politicians, mostly male, had grabbed women's reproductive parts as the basis for their claims of righteous rectitude. Mother, R.I.P. I'll keep advocating for the cause you helped as a pioneer.
42
And the salary for the CEO of our community (allegedly nonprofit) hospital is over a million a year--not to mention his country club membership.
20
awesome .. so class envy is officially off the democratic radar.
Wouldn't it be nice if every opponent of Planned Parenthood adopted a poor family and supported their children until they reached 21 years of age, at least to 18.
As those of us that support Planned Parenthood demonstrated on Tuesday )pink day) we saw the anti's with their signs who I guess have nothing better to do. As I said they could adopt and support a family.
As those of us that support Planned Parenthood demonstrated on Tuesday )pink day) we saw the anti's with their signs who I guess have nothing better to do. As I said they could adopt and support a family.
18
It's ridiculously unbelievable. Republicans of the gerrymandered Tea Party Constitutional Experts League apparently are hell-bent on driving their Party's presidential clown car right off the cliff. They've set their party's purity standards so high, or so low depending on your political leanings, that no matter how Republican presidential aspirants try to paint themselves as moderate and sane, when confronted with their party they are labelled as kooks, and it's no wonder. By merely attaching themselves to a foaming at the mouth GOP which is determined to shrink then drown the Federal government, how can anyone take them seriously.
The answer is, we can't.
It's official. The GOP is certifiably Nuts!
DD
Manhattan
The answer is, we can't.
It's official. The GOP is certifiably Nuts!
DD
Manhattan
16
Many of us do hope that the GOP/Tea Party clown car does go off the cliff! The definition of a half-full GOP campaign bus going off a cliff? A tragedy. A full GOP campaign bus going off a cliff? A start...
3
Let us not forget Scott Desjarlais, a Tennessee Republican on this same committee, who wisely yielded his time to another colleague, lest he (and we) be reminded of the times he urged abortions on his wife and mistress. The law is for thee, not for me.
20
The march of ignorance and paranoia goes on....
and they wonder why women will not vote for their party?!?!?
'Nuf said.
and they wonder why women will not vote for their party?!?!?
'Nuf said.
6
I wonder when Republicans, not the crazies, will speak out with a strong voice against the crazy ones? They sit there and do nothing. Wake up. America is going down the tubes and still, they are numb. I did not write the word dumb!
4
We all appreciate that these Committee Hearings are nothing but camera time for our legislators to speak to their constituents. The real concern is that there are constituents that the legislators are speaking to!
7
For whatever reason, I happened to watch this spectacle on CSPAN. What a disgrace! No matter your politics, it was clear that this was an uncivil proceeding with an amazing amount of ad hominem rancor focused on Ms. Richards. I could help but get the feeling that the Republicans, some of whom seemed to want to defund contraception, would be happy is women stayed home barefoot and pregnant. Just an amazing display of misogyny and ignorance.
13
chaffetz lied during his questioning and presented an anti abortion group's chart as his own work. He wasn't smart enough to trim the graph.
we should require committee members take an oath to be as truthful as they expect witnesses to be
we should require committee members take an oath to be as truthful as they expect witnesses to be
9
If anyone wants to know how the republicans will govern if they win the White House and keep the Congress, all they have to do is look at Alabama. We have a republican governor with a super majority of republicans in the state house. Our latest state budget took a regular legislative session and two special sessions to pass because there was a $250 million shortfall the GOP didn't want to raise taxes. Solutions: cut out all Medicare, raid the education budget, close state parks and lay off state troopers. Medicare was barely saved but the rest happened. 31 DMV offices closed - all in counties that are majority minority and voted for President Obama. $80 million raided from an education budget that is $700 million less than it was 8 years ago. Oh - and our state speaker of the house is under 23 criminal indictments and the governor got a divorce for allegedly cheating on his wife.
8
The GOP has turned the U.S. House of Representatives into a propaganda machine for their party. They couldn't care less about governing.
8
The Hyde Amendment forbids the use of federal funds for providing abortions. So these hearings are totally unnecessary. Period.
14
The Republicans have once again planted an issue to draw attention away from the real issues that people care about in this country. They always do this in an election year even a year when the clown circus is in town with the pitiful candidates that are running as republicans. They do no care about us, our government, the world. the Pope, anything but winning. Also, let me point out that the Pope lost all the so-called good will he thought he had when he had a meeting with that woman.
10
What Gail fails to see is that it's all those horrendous planned abortions that rankle so many about Planned Parenthood. There's no chance to be a parent at all.
We need less Planned Parenthood Talks and more Planned Parenthood Thinking. Those among us who remember what a Biology textbook is know that human is human, and non-human is not. No Supreme Court can change that.
At 65,000,000 abortions and growing by thousands as you read this, we are far, far from Cecile Richard's stated goal of "rare," In case she missed it, abortions are not "safe" for human fetuses, either.
With all due disrespect to your Captain Courageous metaphor, Gail, Ms. Richards is steering her boatload of body parts through a rocky and narrow channel she and her Planned Parenthood ilk have created. She is underpaid. No amount of compensation is enough for her and her sanction of destroying human life.
We need less Planned Parenthood Talks and more Planned Parenthood Thinking. Those among us who remember what a Biology textbook is know that human is human, and non-human is not. No Supreme Court can change that.
At 65,000,000 abortions and growing by thousands as you read this, we are far, far from Cecile Richard's stated goal of "rare," In case she missed it, abortions are not "safe" for human fetuses, either.
With all due disrespect to your Captain Courageous metaphor, Gail, Ms. Richards is steering her boatload of body parts through a rocky and narrow channel she and her Planned Parenthood ilk have created. She is underpaid. No amount of compensation is enough for her and her sanction of destroying human life.
2
Thanks for making the sheer nuttiness of your views clear, starting with the bizarre claim about biology textbooks.
i mention the textbooks because since the infamous "Silent Scream," video, you guys have been trying to gin up "facts," that'll twist the science into backing up your religious views.
I don't mind your having views that oppose abortion rights, and probably contraception, and even the very idea that girls and women should have any help when it comes to matters of sex and reproduction at all. Go nuts--well, nuttier--and argue for them as much as you like. This is America.
But I sure wish you'd be honest about wanting everybody to live by your religious principles, and I wish even more that you'd get your grubby mitts off the science.
i mention the textbooks because since the infamous "Silent Scream," video, you guys have been trying to gin up "facts," that'll twist the science into backing up your religious views.
I don't mind your having views that oppose abortion rights, and probably contraception, and even the very idea that girls and women should have any help when it comes to matters of sex and reproduction at all. Go nuts--well, nuttier--and argue for them as much as you like. This is America.
But I sure wish you'd be honest about wanting everybody to live by your religious principles, and I wish even more that you'd get your grubby mitts off the science.
4
When the pro-birth movement starts supporting free and low-cost contraception, pre-natal care, post-natal care, well-baby care, and women's health care, then and only then will it be entitled to call itself "pro-life." Until then, its narrow-minded and obsessive focus on abortion -- often necessitated by the obdurate refusal to make contraception cheap and widely available -- will reveal what it really is all about. Dragging women back to the 8th century.
4
You've obviously bought the propaganda. There is no "boatload of body parts."
3
Jim Jordan of Ohio is the epitome of the politician the public despises.The self righteous hypocrite that belittles the intelligence of public.He would make better inroads in his desire to dismantle Planed Parenthood, by simply saying, my religious beliefs are more important than any reasoning by those that disagree with me.
7
If stupid were a flower, the profusion of blooms in the Congress would have the gallery visitors sneezing as much as they are laughing.
And judging by the inane malaprops that drop from Kevin McCarthy's mouth like spent cartridges from a Gattling gun, he'd better hope that his delegation doesn't pass a "Speak English--or else" bill. McCarthy would have to be deported--but who would take him?
And judging by the inane malaprops that drop from Kevin McCarthy's mouth like spent cartridges from a Gattling gun, he'd better hope that his delegation doesn't pass a "Speak English--or else" bill. McCarthy would have to be deported--but who would take him?
6
How bout a hearing on the Boys & Girls Club regarding that salary!
4
So if the Republicans try to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government sans Planned Parenthood and the Democrats filibuster or Obama vetoes the bill, who is shutting down the government? Is it still the Republicans? It is kind of like the tired arguments that only whites can be racists or that Christians are the intolerant ones and their ideas should no longer be accepted or tolerated.
1
2016 is looking more and more like the year Democrats retake the Senate and lessen the Repugs majority in the House. This malarkey over Planned Parenthood and the House oversight committee hearing, which need not have happened had the committee call the now-proven false video producers to the floor of the chamber to defend their deceit, we nearly allow them to shutdown the government once again over lies. It's only to appease and rabble-rouse and the Republican base is nothing but rabble. Give us Barabas!
8
I am heartily sick of the House Republicans and there petty and immature ways.
6
None of this will change until one of these GOP guys has to miss a donor-sponsored golf freebie due to menstrual cramps.
7
The problem goes well beyond Planned Parenthood. Let’s not forget that a woman’s right to a safe and timely abortion is a constitutional right in this country. How is that so called right to lifers are all for the death penaly. Recently a Republican from Texas bragged about the hundreds of executions carried out last year was greeted by cheers and applause. They love the fetus and hate the child.
We have a Republican party which rules the House as if the Democrats do not exist and couldn’t care less what the people want thanks to the Hastart rule.
Our “elections” are rigged for the GOP and what we now have t is that a cabal of government hating, radical reactionary Republicans, who are nothing less than political terrorists who think they can rule by holding our economy hostage. Some say they are the American Taliban, but they are worse they are more like the airline pilot who committed suicide by crashing his plane with all its passingers.
They believe that God demands a price for women having sex. Pregnancy, venereal disease, etc. and they certainly do. Women must be punished for having sex and especially unmaried or poor women. They would outlaw contraception if they could. They believe that women are inferior. People like these hate democracy because they are not in the majority. The entire thrust of the GOP is to have minority rule. Opposition must be slandered, stricken from the voting rolls, jailed of necessary. .
We have a Republican party which rules the House as if the Democrats do not exist and couldn’t care less what the people want thanks to the Hastart rule.
Our “elections” are rigged for the GOP and what we now have t is that a cabal of government hating, radical reactionary Republicans, who are nothing less than political terrorists who think they can rule by holding our economy hostage. Some say they are the American Taliban, but they are worse they are more like the airline pilot who committed suicide by crashing his plane with all its passingers.
They believe that God demands a price for women having sex. Pregnancy, venereal disease, etc. and they certainly do. Women must be punished for having sex and especially unmaried or poor women. They would outlaw contraception if they could. They believe that women are inferior. People like these hate democracy because they are not in the majority. The entire thrust of the GOP is to have minority rule. Opposition must be slandered, stricken from the voting rolls, jailed of necessary. .
11
After watching parts of this hearing, I can not believe that there is one woman in the USA who would even contemplate to vote for any of these narrow-minded, vicious, disrespectful know-nothings.
Even more mind-boggling is the fact that there is a woman running for president who supports this lunacy. There are many reasons why she is totally unft for the presidency, but her rant against PP alone should be more than enough reason to vehemently oppose her candidacy.
Even more mind-boggling is the fact that there is a woman running for president who supports this lunacy. There are many reasons why she is totally unft for the presidency, but her rant against PP alone should be more than enough reason to vehemently oppose her candidacy.
25
I'm indifferent here, but would remind Gail the only true, independent third-party analysis of the videos found them to be authentic.
1
You're not indifferent, and that's not true. And it gets tiresome, hearing you guys lie so much.
5
Sorry...misplaced comment, my fault. I was referring to what's now become common among the Right--the pretense of neutrality, the claims of having voted for President Obama, the jazz about supporting women's rights, stuff like that.
Apparently simply and honestly saying what you think has become about as popular as knowing what the facts and figures really say, or making your case on its real fundamentalist Christian grounds rather than making up stuff about what the science says.
Apparently simply and honestly saying what you think has become about as popular as knowing what the facts and figures really say, or making your case on its real fundamentalist Christian grounds rather than making up stuff about what the science says.
2
And who was that?
This entire scandal that the pro-life movement and the faked films support are a smoke screen to cover their efforts against contraception. Everyone seems to have taken the bait, but the plain truth is that any federal funding that goes to PP health centers cannot fund abortion services, due to the Hyde Amendment. A separate arm of PP runs abortion clinics and receives no federal funds.
Conservatives know this of course, but it's part of their subterfuge and mendacity on the matter of contraception. They know they cannot overturn either Roe vs. Wade (access to abortion) or Griswold v. Connecticut (access to contraception). So, they keep chipping away at access to abortion and contraception (see the Hobby Lobby decision) to the point, they hope, where those two Supreme Court decisions will be made irrelevant in the lives of American women.
The truth is that cutting off federal funds to PP will not prevent one single abortion anywhere.
Conservatives know this of course, but it's part of their subterfuge and mendacity on the matter of contraception. They know they cannot overturn either Roe vs. Wade (access to abortion) or Griswold v. Connecticut (access to contraception). So, they keep chipping away at access to abortion and contraception (see the Hobby Lobby decision) to the point, they hope, where those two Supreme Court decisions will be made irrelevant in the lives of American women.
The truth is that cutting off federal funds to PP will not prevent one single abortion anywhere.
8
Having lost the war on gay marriage, what else does the party of fiscal responsibility have to do?
9
I'd love to see the Kindergarten report cards of these rude and nasty self-appointed prosecutors in the GOP Congress. Bet they didn't score too high on "Exhibits Self-Control" "Gets Along Well With Others" "Respects His Classmates" and "Shares His Toys."
12
Just, once again, Thank You, Gail.
5
Watching the radical right led Republican caucus lurch from one false crisis to another I am reminded of Aristotle's concern about democracy." "Mere democracy" could result in government ruled by the "Passionate, ignorant, demagogue dominated "voice of the people". This in turn would lead to first injustice, then anarchy, and finally tyrany." In my lifetime I have never seen such juvenile behavior in our government. As I observe my fellow citizens and see the popularity of the dumb downed television shows and listen to the people rant about some ridiculous false story they saw on the internet, I realize that the ignorant rightwing membrs of the House of Representatives really do represent a significant portion of the populace That, to me, is most frightenig!!
10
She explained several times that Planned Parenthood’s federal funding was mainly just Medicaid payments for treating low-income patients. However this is a concept that her opponents made it clear they plan to never get their heads around.
Wonder when the New York Times will get its head wrapped around this information or is going to describe all entities excepting Medicare patients as federally funded.
And why are these recommended article pop ups popping up all the time? I can navigate the paper on my own thank you.
Wonder when the New York Times will get its head wrapped around this information or is going to describe all entities excepting Medicare patients as federally funded.
And why are these recommended article pop ups popping up all the time? I can navigate the paper on my own thank you.
4
It is sad times when we are wishing back John Boehner for even handedness.
4
One might have hoped that the 468 men and woman responsible for the parenting of the members of Mr. Boehner's rear view mirror caucus had engaged in some planning themselves. For example they might have planned on having their progeny continue to mature after the age of 2. Ah those Terrible Two Thirty Four's.
2
I do care a lot about the low income folks who receive medical and family planning services from Planned Parenthood, but I think I'm a lot more concerned about the low information Congressmen who have hijacked this country. God help us.
7
Now if we could just get Fox Noise - oops, Fox "News" - to reprint this column..... A huge problem today is not just the intense politicalization of every issue and the intense political division of the country as a whole, but the fact the two sides pretty much never see or hear anything from the other side.
Thanks, Gail, even if no conservative ever reads this.
Thanks, Gail, even if no conservative ever reads this.
2
It really seems that there is some overall dominance war going on, with women the target. Various parties are going out of their way to make it troublesome to be female. Reminds me of the territorial battles that my cats wage against one another - it's all about who gets the best chair and who gets to eat first.
1
Well, we did find out at the PP does not perform mammograms, that Richards earns more than $500K per year in salary alone, and that 83% of PP's revenue comes from abortions. Otherwise, Collins' excuses suck.
Are they as bad as your phony revenue figure?
2
83% of "revuenue"comes from abortion? where did you see/hear that??
1
Get your talking points straight...83% of NON MEDICAID (i.e. non taxpayer) revenue come from abortion care.
2
If there aren't enough community centers to absorb all of Planned Parenthood's patients, then the government should just award a no bid contract for women's health services to Halliburton. They're always willing to pick up the slack when the government needs some help. Dick Cheney could council women on their health issues and if they don't take his advice he can have them water boarded. It's a win win situation for everybody.
12
If you want inquisitions where are those investigating the roots of our 2008 meltdown, the invasion of Iraq under false pretenses, the gerrymandering of districts so that they resemble spaghetti, the failure of Bush to listen to intelligence before 9/11, the over runs in military projects, corporate welfare and anti US policies of corporations taking government money, the stagnation of wages for the 99 percent, etc. Benghazi and Planned Parenthood are nothing but tempests in tea party pots designed to take attention away from the real issues in this country and play to the Republican ostriges. Politics and grand standing as the Roman empire, er, I mean American empire burns and fades into history.
8
The Republicans are doing any and everything to make sure it is more and more difficult to get to the doctor. I can't imagine the stress involved in trying to raise a family, get the children off to school, fed and in bed, raise your husband, take care of the house and take care of mom & dad and then have to go through a gauntlet of rules and harassment just to go to the doctor. I wish someone could make the lives' of these Congressional Patriots (as the President described them) just as miserable.
6
I did not know that Ms Richards was the daughter of the late Ann Richards - i wonder what she would have told her inquisitors - it was an inquisition by the way- surprised they did not drown her to see if she was lying.
I noted the salary information. Perhaps they should investigate the salary of Lockheed Martin's CEO - approximately $20 million a year with practically all of it from government contracts. Contracts which they hardly ever finish on time or in budget.
I noted the salary information. Perhaps they should investigate the salary of Lockheed Martin's CEO - approximately $20 million a year with practically all of it from government contracts. Contracts which they hardly ever finish on time or in budget.
11
"Sometimes I miss high oil prices" - gotta love it! Sure don't miss The Bush.
4
Between this and the Benghazi hearings and investigations, I'm having a hard time taking these "small government" "fiscal conservatives" seriously. With all the pressing infrastructure and military/veterans' issues at hand (among others), this is really the best use of money and resources these people can think of?
5
Religion works as both a great weapon and shield. Republican Congressmen have that shtick down to a science.
2
It works only on people who don't know that absolutely everyone who claims to know what God thinks really speaks only for themselves.
1
Burning people at the stake of a congressional hearing. What a wonderful new idea.
2
C'mon. You're really OK with dissecting humans not long before they would be born and selling their parts?
You call the films "heavily doctored" but you cannot say what they expose is untrue.
You watch news clips documentaries that are "heavily doctored" virtually every day; it's called editing. You make it sound like what the film shows is untrue.
Are you aware that even most of Europe does not allow abortions after 20 weeks?
You call the films "heavily doctored" but you cannot say what they expose is untrue.
You watch news clips documentaries that are "heavily doctored" virtually every day; it's called editing. You make it sound like what the film shows is untrue.
Are you aware that even most of Europe does not allow abortions after 20 weeks?
1
Don't forget the patients consented to the donation of fetal tissue. Many of the cures/treatments we take for granted today are a result of fetal tissue research, much like that Dr. Carson used to perform.
1
Last I checked, there's a difference between editing to make the truth clearer, and editing to tell a lie.
4
Fetal tissue research was approved under Reagen.
Only 1% of abortions are performed after 20 weeks, usually after catastrophic diagnoses such as a missing brain.
Only 1% of abortions are performed after 20 weeks, usually after catastrophic diagnoses such as a missing brain.
5
McCarthyism is alive and well in the Republican House. Only the targets have changed.
7
We are through the looking glass with the Republican Party. I'm not sure that they even understand that admitting that you are using the investigatory power of Congress in an attempt to smear the opposing party's Presidential candidate is an abuse of power and a misuse of tax payer funds. They no longer know right from wrong, they only know that repeating lies gets them re-elected and the truth doesnt matter to their base.
10
This is about healthcare. Someone needs to change the conversation into expanding the ACA and cutting costs at the same time with single payer. Everyone who works should automatically have health insurance with their job--pay premiums, receive benefits, especially yearly physicals. Single payer was advocated in sociology/health journals in the 1970s, to give you an idea how this initiative has been covered up by the extreme right. Republicans can go on witch hunts, but others in the room can talk about the real world.
1
So I'm confused about this committee event involving Planned Parenthood. Doesn't a "hearing" imply that congress-people should be at least "listening"? Maybe they should call it a "whipping", "lashing", or "speechifying" instead.
12
Why do men have this feeling of superiority over women. Women should have control over their body and not have a narrow minded group of men in Congress trying to legislate their rights away.
I am a man but it is clear to me that Women are superior to men in many ways. As women have been given more opportunity more women graduate from college than men.
Womens bodies are superior to men in that a man cannot produce a baby and no one loves offspring like a mom. However, if a woman does not want to be a mom she is the best person to make that choice
I am a man but it is clear to me that Women are superior to men in many ways. As women have been given more opportunity more women graduate from college than men.
Womens bodies are superior to men in that a man cannot produce a baby and no one loves offspring like a mom. However, if a woman does not want to be a mom she is the best person to make that choice
2
The last sentence is PERFECT!
5
Yeah, so where IS the 26yo boy genius who glued all that video together for years minus bathroom breaks they say, and who funded him? The Men-Boys on the Congressional panel are awfully incurious about who actually collaged this plop that they want to shut the US government down for. Put it on their tab, America.
I read that the 2nd video was "authored" by some gal/criminal who went to prison for a domestic terrorism bombing deal. Does she have a film deal with Dinesh D'Souza yet or just a radio career ahead?
That is more interesting to me at this point in the GOP's slow motion suicide than watching Jim Jordan and Jason Chaffetz try to figure out where their ovaries are on national TV.
I read that the 2nd video was "authored" by some gal/criminal who went to prison for a domestic terrorism bombing deal. Does she have a film deal with Dinesh D'Souza yet or just a radio career ahead?
That is more interesting to me at this point in the GOP's slow motion suicide than watching Jim Jordan and Jason Chaffetz try to figure out where their ovaries are on national TV.
8
Mr. McCarthy has said what a lot of us have been thinking. The Benghazi issue is not of interest to the GOP as to the facts, but to the extent that it can do damage to Hillary Clinton. Whenever a politician opens their mouth and the truth comes out, there should be loud trumpets played because it happens so seldom.
The Republicans I know personally to a wo/man believe that the Federal government pays for abortions with THEIR tax money and that minority women use PP services ONLY for that alone. That the Feds do not pay for abortions is actually denied as they always seem to "know" someone who "knows" the truth. When told that mammograms, health screening, STD testing, birth control advice are the major actions of PP for low income women and men, I am told that I'm being "just my usual liberal attitude" which is, of course, wrong.
What talking with anyone who prefers to believe lies even in the face of proof to the opposite there is no way to continue the conversation.
The Republicans I know personally to a wo/man believe that the Federal government pays for abortions with THEIR tax money and that minority women use PP services ONLY for that alone. That the Feds do not pay for abortions is actually denied as they always seem to "know" someone who "knows" the truth. When told that mammograms, health screening, STD testing, birth control advice are the major actions of PP for low income women and men, I am told that I'm being "just my usual liberal attitude" which is, of course, wrong.
What talking with anyone who prefers to believe lies even in the face of proof to the opposite there is no way to continue the conversation.
5
As a woman, I was and am completely offended by the actions of those horrible men at the "hearing". Have they no decency? What ever happened to seeking the truth? Doing their homework? It was beyond disgusting. Where are their mothers? wives? daughters? Are they as stupid as these men? It's hard to wrap one's head around.
12
Planned Parenthhood provides essential services to women and girls and we need to support all the good work they are doing. Countless low income teenagers have been able to avoid pregnancy because of Planned Parenthhood. It isn't enough to just tell teenagers not to have sex in many cases. We need to help teens who want birth control to get birth control. Planned Parenthood is the only care provider for many low income women. I find it draconian and punitive to the whole of society to deny funding to Planned Parenthood.
170
I tried to send this bit of information to Rep John Duncan, but he doesn't accept emails from outside his district. "The base salary for the head of the Boys & Girls Clubs, by the way, is $576,000."
3
Beware the hidden camera. The sight of the PP woman, maybe a doctor, discussing fetuses through a mouthful of Caesar salad, is disgusting to watch.
My advice: when invited to a quiet business lunch at a five-star restaurant. drink the water and say as little as possible. And, never say the word "fetus"
My advice: when invited to a quiet business lunch at a five-star restaurant. drink the water and say as little as possible. And, never say the word "fetus"
Yes, by all means, let's have a world in which every little twit in the country lies to people they don't like so they can try and weasel them into saying something bad, and get it on camera.
1
People have lost the narrative on Planned parenthood as this organization is vilified over abortion- a service scantily provided. The lost narrative is due to the media's fascination with highlighting the negatives rather than accentuating the positives. Planned parenthood deserves every penny and must expect a backlash from ordinary Americans over this trumped up charges. GOP must stop 'the war on women' and their fascination female sexual organs. GOP needs a new' Vagina monologues' to keep them in order.
4
Great work, Gail! Your closing Zinger was Perfect.
2
Gail, I'm not sure who said that if men could become pregnant, abortion would become mandatory, but the party of deliberate ignorance is replete with members who would benefit greatly from finding themselves in that condition. I'm surprised the Republicans don't have a plank in their platform outlawing the sale, possession, and wearing of women's shoes.
3
"This is of course a reference to those heavily doctored videos that are supposed to prove that Planned Parenthood sells fetal tissue for a profit. They have been determined to be false, false, false on one count after another.."
The videos were not doctured, that is a lie that has been proven to be wrong.
http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/no-evidence-of-manipulation-in-planned-parent...
Abortion is the slavery issue of our day and those on the left who desperately attempt to defend the barbaric practice will once again find themselves on the wrong side of history.
The videos were not doctured, that is a lie that has been proven to be wrong.
http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/no-evidence-of-manipulation-in-planned-parent...
Abortion is the slavery issue of our day and those on the left who desperately attempt to defend the barbaric practice will once again find themselves on the wrong side of history.
By all means, let's take World Net Daily's word for it. We don't represent the batty nearly well enough any more, since Bachman went home.
2
Yet another example of someone presented with facts and it makes no difference. Sad.
1
So says the Forced Gestationist! Obviously getting all his talking points from Fox News. Faux News - We Distort, You Comply!
2
Gail truly is a liberal loon defending the undefendable. "Planned Parenthood wasn't caught doing anything" That's rich.
1
What exactly was the org "caught doing," pray tell? having lunch? Do be specific, won't you? And try to remember that talking in ways you find offensive isn't a crime.
2
Gail Collins would also have served the facts well to point out that the 'little aborted baby lying on the table with its heart still beating,' cited by Republican Candidate, Carly FIorina in the Republican debates, when referring to the FAUX anti-Planned Parenthood Doctored Mentaries - was unauthorized footage of a mother who had sadly given birth to a still born child. Not only did these true ghouls trash the truth, they exploited the personal tragedy of a family and trashed their privacy. They should all be sued for $100,000,000, and the Senate Committee should be investigating criminals like those 'filmmakers.'
11
Ms Collins, please run for Congress. Your country needs you to slap the old boys around!
2
Lie and obfuscate appears to be the Republican motto. Put up a chart with no "y" axis, claim the information came directly from Planned Parenthood, when it came from an anti abortion group that manipulated information, and have arrows that point the wrong way, then stand by that misrepresentation of the facts.
Please Democrats, for goodness sake, state loudly and clearly that the Federal Government does not pay for abortion on demand through Planned Parenthood! Through Medicaid via Planned Parenthood, it does pay for abortion in very restricted circumstances such as rape, incest, or the mother's life being endangered by the pregnancy. Make it crystal clear.
Are there no other issues of importance to the Republicans other than the control of women's bodies, sex, and removing all social safety nets, and lowering taxes? Have they no interest in, say, the economy or our crumbling infrastructure?
Thank you Gail, so glad you are back!!!!
Please Democrats, for goodness sake, state loudly and clearly that the Federal Government does not pay for abortion on demand through Planned Parenthood! Through Medicaid via Planned Parenthood, it does pay for abortion in very restricted circumstances such as rape, incest, or the mother's life being endangered by the pregnancy. Make it crystal clear.
Are there no other issues of importance to the Republicans other than the control of women's bodies, sex, and removing all social safety nets, and lowering taxes? Have they no interest in, say, the economy or our crumbling infrastructure?
Thank you Gail, so glad you are back!!!!
4
Part of the difficulty with our problem children in Congress is that Richards get more than twice their annual salary, but probably not all the perks. They can stop crying. though, as they'll grow up soon (maybe) and become lobbyists and soak the public for millions by enabling predatory corporations.
5
I'll support thousands of Cecile Richards, who at Planned Parenthood, advocate for the health and well-being of all women, before I'll ever support one toxic Carly Fiorina, who like her GOP cronies, only advocate for themselves—lying, while lining their pockets.
10
Each and every time Planned Parenthood is attacked I protest and make another donation to support women's health services.
The constant and unrelenting attacks on women's health services makes me despair. I am unable to understand to decipher the motivation for the falsehoods and threats which directly impact women's health.
Could we have a committee to study the psychological state of the individuals and organizations who target women's health services? This committee might produce some useful information, for a welcome change . . . .
The constant and unrelenting attacks on women's health services makes me despair. I am unable to understand to decipher the motivation for the falsehoods and threats which directly impact women's health.
Could we have a committee to study the psychological state of the individuals and organizations who target women's health services? This committee might produce some useful information, for a welcome change . . . .
10
The focus on de-funding Planned Parenthood takes the focus off foreign policy, bank regulation, military spending, education, infrastructure and so on. The G.O.P. likes to shift focus to these hard right "Bible issues" because that's what they are comfortable talking about, and they know they can rile up their Fox News base. They grab on to these "shocking" domestic social topics--Planned Parenthood, euthanasia, legal drugs; and "patriotic" foreign policy topics--Bergdahl, Bengahzi. And it's all to make stump speeches to their ignorant voting base, and shine a light on unpatriotic, pagan democrats. They can get their head around these topics. They are black and white, right and wrong, no grey, that play well at Sunday service.
The game is getting old, the people are seeing through it. Even Boehner is tired of it. Let's see what happens in 2016.
The game is getting old, the people are seeing through it. Even Boehner is tired of it. Let's see what happens in 2016.
8
The GOP is the definition of stupid is as stupid does.
10
Every member of the House of Representatives should be required to
read these comments with an open mind - if possible.
read these comments with an open mind - if possible.
7
When are licensed physicians and registered nurses going to come together about 4 million strong and demand that the Republican freaks stop practicing without licenses?
The primum non nocere - first, do no harm - ethos includes advocating for patients, just as Cecile Richards is doing, in the face of malevolent and powerful forces.
The primum non nocere - first, do no harm - ethos includes advocating for patients, just as Cecile Richards is doing, in the face of malevolent and powerful forces.
21
"The primum non nocere - first, do no harm - ethos includes advocating for patients, just as Cecile Richards is doing, in the face of malevolent and powerful forces."
And this justifies Planned Parenthood receiving federal funds?
And this justifies Planned Parenthood receiving federal funds?
Absolutely. PP provides critical women's health services without prejudice. And the sole source of federal funds it receives are reimbursements for Medicaid eligible and billed health services.
2
Gail, you have inspired me to make a donation to Planned Parenthood today. I would like to think that the right-wing Republicans in congress were just stupid, but they are not only willfully uninformed, but truth-averse hypocrites.
19
Thank you Gail for letting us know that the head of the Boys & Girls Clubs is paid a base salary of $576K. I did think Ms. Richards' salary was a bit rich for a nonprofit before you provided this valuable perspective. The fix really IS in place for the folks at the top. The rest of us get the squeeze.
89
Cecile is near the bottom of the CEO pay scale for major non profits. Red Cross, United Way and many other similar type CEO's are at least two to three times higher in annual compensation. The GOP blowhards of course would never even mention the corporate or Wall St. moguls compensation packages.
4
Yes, the salaries of the CEOs of large non-profits like Planned Parenthood and Boys and Girls Club look large to many of us of more modest means. However, they earn a small fraction of what CEOs of private corporations make. And watching Ms. Richards this week - it looks to me like she earned every penny of her salary.
4
For a group that advocates "lesser government" these Republicans sure do spend an incredible amount of government time, effort and taxpayer money chasing windmills.
21
"For a group that advocates "lesser government" these Republicans sure do spend an incredible amount of government time, effort and taxpayer money chasing windmills."
I do in fact advocate small government. I do not agree with all the side shows that Congress performs, mainly for public and political posturing. But if Planned Parenthood received no taxpayer money, we wouldn't have this particular sideshow, would we?
I do in fact advocate small government. I do not agree with all the side shows that Congress performs, mainly for public and political posturing. But if Planned Parenthood received no taxpayer money, we wouldn't have this particular sideshow, would we?
When it comes to voting their "alleged hearts out" as you quote Ms. Pelosi re: her TP House associates, let's remember Rep. Scott DesJarlais. Rep. DesJarlais as a "Pro-Life Republican Congressman And Doctor, Pressured Mistress Patient To Get Abortion". DesJarlais was re-elected in 2014. Coming and going at the alleged same time on that family-values issue, no?
12
If Planned Parenthood simply ended the provision of abortions, this issue would go away. Its just 3% of their services, right? In fact, by cleaning up their public profile, they would attract more donors too.
2
It's very curious why Planned Parenthood is not willing to separate its abortion practices entirely. There's obviously more there than meets the eye, and Ms. Richards made it clear the services could not really be reported on separately in great detail.
It appears that Planned Parenthood has a vested interest in abortions, likely stemming from its pregnancy prevention services. Since 40% of unplanned pregnancies result from women who have birth control and don't use it, the two are obviously closely tied. Many of those receiving birth control from Planned Parenthood are likely to use its abortion services as well (instead of birth control).
It appears that Planned Parenthood has a vested interest in abortions, likely stemming from its pregnancy prevention services. Since 40% of unplanned pregnancies result from women who have birth control and don't use it, the two are obviously closely tied. Many of those receiving birth control from Planned Parenthood are likely to use its abortion services as well (instead of birth control).
You are wrong. No government funds go to abortions. Reality doesn't reign here. Right wing fiction does. They want to shut down women's services. They are also anti contraception.
3
I adore the way you guys make stuff up, pile more made-up stuff on top, and then shout QED!
2
"The base salary for the head of the Boys & Girls Clubs, by the way, is $576,000."
Guess it's time for John Duncan to change the subject. In fact, that really is the republican way of governing. Just keep changing the subject.
Guess it's time for John Duncan to change the subject. In fact, that really is the republican way of governing. Just keep changing the subject.
2
This was not a "hearing". These GOP Reps didn't come to hear anything. It was an Inquisition, a witch hunt and Joseph McCarthy was in the room. About 7 States have already had their Attorney Generals do probes in Planned Parenthood and found absolutely nothing wrong. This is about the GOP religious zealots, with the aid of Americans United for Life on their quest to destroy Roe v Wade and women's reproductive choices. A disgrace. Women better get out and vote on the Local, State & Federal level if they don't want to see their rights destroyed.
13
Is anyone else worried to find out that there is another member of Congress named McCarthy? The last guy didn't let facts get in the way of his investigations, either.
6
"The base salary for the head of the Boys & Girls Clubs, by the way, is $576,000." The "real" Clair Underwood would have known that.
Please show me your evidence of those videos being "false, false, false" with a news story that is not a Planned Parenthood plant. Maybe an outside person showing the spots in the videos that are false. I have seen one point - a stillborn baby used inappropriately. Beyond that ..... all I find is attack rhetoric from PP being echoed by sympathizers such as yourself. Which is standard political tactic -- when the truth is not on your side, call the other side liars often off, load enough, and with enough money so that eventually that is the point that the public is left with. You are being tooled by PP.
1
What would constitute an "outside person" to you? Here is a report from a non-partisan group. http://www.factcheck.org/2015/07/unspinning-the-planned-parenthood-video/
1
Several Republican presidential candidates have claimed that Planned Parenthood is “profiting” from abortions. But the full, unedited video they cite as evidence shows a Planned Parenthood executive repeatedly saying its clinics want to cover their costs, not make money, when donating fetal tissue from abortions for scientific research.
Four experts in the field of human tissue procurement told us the price range discussed in the video — $30 to $100 per patient — represents a reasonable fee. “There’s no way there’s a profit at that price,” said Sherilyn J. Sawyer, the director of Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s “biorepository.”
Four experts in the field of human tissue procurement told us the price range discussed in the video — $30 to $100 per patient — represents a reasonable fee. “There’s no way there’s a profit at that price,” said Sherilyn J. Sawyer, the director of Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s “biorepository.”
The onus for any proof is always on the person making the claim. Let's investigate the person or persons who made these highly edited videos and find out if they in fact are telling the truth or, as we already know, have invented this issue.
Thanks for providing the salary for the head of Boys & Girls Clubs. It helps put this farce further in to perspective - something the McCarthy-type witch hunt is not capable of doing.
15
The comments so far seem to reflect a majority of commenters who believe in objective truth, and/or support a women's right to control whether she bears a child, and a generally disgusted attitude towards the naked attempt by the House Committee to trash PP. We who are of this opinion would do well to remember that this kind of public shaming is not restricted to Republicans. and is nothing new. For example, go back to when Lyndon Johnson was in Congress, and arranged a surprise Committee attack on the then-head of the federal power commission, who had the audacity to bother the gas and oil barons to whom Johnson owed his biggest contributions. But then also remember that Johnson ceded the racist Southerners to the Republican party by pursuing racial equality and fair treatment. The reality is usually more nuanced than any of us recognize during a fight such as this one,
1
Oh please. This kind of false equivalences, make me scream.
And yet, people keep voting for these Kafkaesque persecutors.
8
"Richards was fine, whenever she could get a word in edgewise..."
On the contrary, Ms. Richards had difficulty answering some very basic questions, which is why the same questions had to be repeated so many times.
One question was about the revenue from abortions. Another had to do with the fact that cancer screenings and prevention services were down 50% and breast exams, 42%. Meanwhile abortion services had increased 24%.
Congresswoman Love asked why the abortion money couldn't be redirected to those other preventive services. Ms. Richards' answer involved a description of corporate structure.
She either didn't want to answer many of the questions or couldn't.
On the contrary, Ms. Richards had difficulty answering some very basic questions, which is why the same questions had to be repeated so many times.
One question was about the revenue from abortions. Another had to do with the fact that cancer screenings and prevention services were down 50% and breast exams, 42%. Meanwhile abortion services had increased 24%.
Congresswoman Love asked why the abortion money couldn't be redirected to those other preventive services. Ms. Richards' answer involved a description of corporate structure.
She either didn't want to answer many of the questions or couldn't.
1
You claim a lot of facts...got some citations for those facts?
Who are you to judge? You impress me as a psychotic.
2
You apparently missed the moment during the hearing when Ms. Richards DID answer that the graph showing these statistics you just referenced were provided by the Center for Medical Progress, the very people who are trying to imply that Planned Parenthood is doing something wrong. I liken these stats to "cooking the books" by people who have an extreme agenda ~ and you bought into their propaganda, hook, line and sinker.
2
I'm waiting for some clever person to take the video of the GOPers grandstanding and give it the ole cut and paste treatment, a la "Center for Medical Progress", and see how they like having their words and deeds turned inside out. Now THAT would get a hearing -- and a lot of airtime back home for their constituents!
8
This is as much of a racial as class thing with the Republicans. Planned Parenthood helps poor women, many of whom are Black or Latino.
Remember Reagan's "Welfare Queens" in Cadillacs? No matter how many time it was proven to be false, Ronnie rode it into the White House where he lived in Bizarreo Fantasy land for 8 years.
Remember Reagan's "Welfare Queens" in Cadillacs? No matter how many time it was proven to be false, Ronnie rode it into the White House where he lived in Bizarreo Fantasy land for 8 years.
8
I believe the head of the Boys & Girls Club is a man so of course he needs/should make more running a smaller organization! Geez, Gail, get a grip.
6
Planned Parenthood performed 327,653 abortions in 2014. That totals 37 abortions per hour and 1 every 90 seconds. Those are a lot of abortions. In fact, PP performs more abortions than any other organization in the US. If that does not not bother Americans and turn their stomachs then we have reached an all-time low in morality in our society. This is where they make all their money and other services provided are chump change.
Where is the outcry from the NYT readers about this barbarism? I am glad that the Republican Party is shedding light on this horror. Where are the Democrats in condemning this practice? Of course, everyone knows that PP and Cecile Richards are huge supporters of the Democratic Party. She has been pictured with President Obama many times and he is one of her biggest supporters. This is a travesty of justice and I wish the Republicans all the best in this fight against abortion and the elimination of innocent human life.
Where is the outcry from the NYT readers about this barbarism? I am glad that the Republican Party is shedding light on this horror. Where are the Democrats in condemning this practice? Of course, everyone knows that PP and Cecile Richards are huge supporters of the Democratic Party. She has been pictured with President Obama many times and he is one of her biggest supporters. This is a travesty of justice and I wish the Republicans all the best in this fight against abortion and the elimination of innocent human life.
5
Acknowledging the barbarity of abortion requires the acknowledgement of not only life but also the fact that it is being willfully ended -- by the mother of all people. Instead, an entire language has been created to obfuscate what's really happening.
I'm sure there are advocates who have provided media outlets with the appropriate language to use when writing about abortion, just as advocates do with other socially divisive issues. For example, when the Catholic priest scandal broke, news outlets received guidelines that instructed them to refer to the priests as "pedophiles" versus "homosexuals".
I'm sure there are advocates who have provided media outlets with the appropriate language to use when writing about abortion, just as advocates do with other socially divisive issues. For example, when the Catholic priest scandal broke, news outlets received guidelines that instructed them to refer to the priests as "pedophiles" versus "homosexuals".
1
What you mean to say is that you hope the Republicans triumph in their win over Constitutional rights for women.
4
"Travesty of justice?" You do know that abortion is legal?
3
The Pubs are just pandering to the american taliban. Lighting the torches of a mob of self-righteous vigilantes.
The odd thing about a mob with torches is that they only enlighten themselves while reality is all around them in the darkness.
The PP we really have a problem with is not Planned Parenthood but Pandering Pubs.
The odd thing about a mob with torches is that they only enlighten themselves while reality is all around them in the darkness.
The PP we really have a problem with is not Planned Parenthood but Pandering Pubs.
7
The people who feed and finance these politicians need to get another hobby.
6
What is the number one cause of abortion in the US (or anywhere else, come to think of it)? I'm going to go out on a limb and say unplanned pregnancy. Which organization has done more for the prevention of unplanned pregnancy than any other? Could it be Planned Parenthood? Therefore who has done the most to reduce the number of abortions in the US, Planned Parenthood or the Republican Party? Go ahead, take a guess.
35
We need a Larry Flynt to discover who, among those righteous men interrogating Cecile Richards yesterday, have aided their mistresses in getting abortions. I doubt that exposing them would shut that whole thing down, but it would highlight the awful hypocrisy that has broken out in the Republican Party. Hypocrisy has reached epidemic proportions and only strong sunshine will help at this point.
10
The Right has lost pretty much conceded on the Gay Marriage issue and climate change is too difficult for these yokels to speak about much less understand. So now they have to hang their hat on the abortion issue. Long live ignorance!
9
As someone has pointed out, ""abortion is but a very small percentage of the services" don't you think it would be in PP and its clients best interest to curtail that small percentage of their "services" to preserve access to all the other services they provide ?", I'd like to pose another question. Since abortion, homosexuality, divorce, contraception, etc. were such a small percentage of Jesus' teachings, don't you think it would be in the Catholic Church's best interest to just stick to the poverty, love thy neighbor, and turn the other cheek, part of His message and and stop creating such decisiveness that some folks have resorted to murdering doctors.
6
The shear disingenuous -- or simply stupid? -- displaying of that diagram devoid of a y-axis scale, then misidentifying its source, tells the viewer a lot about Congressman Chaffetz. It tells us he can't recognize a proper XY plot, or, in his view, real data doesn't count when it conflicts with ideology. Republican war on science in action.
23
Our government is a disgrace. The Republicans' attitude re healthcare for women in this country is so backwards it is unbelievable. Enough with the shut down the government threats - its tired and old and ridiculous. Stop it, stop it, stop it. You disrespect all Americans with this nonsense.
17
It isn't our government that is a disgrace. It is the Republican party that is a disgrace. And an enemy of government, by the way.
"Our government is a disgrace. The Republicans' attitude re healthcare for women in this country is so backwards it is unbelievable."
And the Democrats' attitude is that you will have health care - or else. If you don't purchase it, you pay a fine. President Obama told George Stephanopoulos that the ACA was not a tax, yet that's exactly how Chief Justice John Roberts defined it. And the President said the following: "If you like the plan you have, you can keep it. If you like the doctor you have, you can keep your doctor, too. The only change you’ll see are falling costs as our reforms take hold."
So the Democrats lied about health care reform - and the large corporate health care providers and pharmaceutical companies are right in bed with them, because it means more money in their pockets, all because the Dems think they know better than you how to take care of yourself.
By the way, can you find any enumerated or implied power of the federal government that can make them compel you to buy a product or service? If so, share that with the rest of us.
And the Democrats' attitude is that you will have health care - or else. If you don't purchase it, you pay a fine. President Obama told George Stephanopoulos that the ACA was not a tax, yet that's exactly how Chief Justice John Roberts defined it. And the President said the following: "If you like the plan you have, you can keep it. If you like the doctor you have, you can keep your doctor, too. The only change you’ll see are falling costs as our reforms take hold."
So the Democrats lied about health care reform - and the large corporate health care providers and pharmaceutical companies are right in bed with them, because it means more money in their pockets, all because the Dems think they know better than you how to take care of yourself.
By the way, can you find any enumerated or implied power of the federal government that can make them compel you to buy a product or service? If so, share that with the rest of us.
Since the government first mandated insurance for merchant sailors in about 1791, I'd say it's probably in there somewhere. You know--the same way the right to take a nine-year-old girl to a gun range and have her fire off a full-auto Uzi is?
Oh, well. Sometimes I wish I were a right-wing Congressperson...it'd be fun to haul you before a hearing and get a good close look at your vast knowledge of medical insurance.
Oh, well. Sometimes I wish I were a right-wing Congressperson...it'd be fun to haul you before a hearing and get a good close look at your vast knowledge of medical insurance.
2
how about the acronym for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform? -- OGR, pronounced, appropriate, OGRE?
I assume the head of the Boys and Girls Clubs is male, unlike Ms Richards, so his salary is appropriate. Her must, by tradition, be about 2/3 his.
I assume the head of the Boys and Girls Clubs is male, unlike Ms Richards, so his salary is appropriate. Her must, by tradition, be about 2/3 his.
12
"I assume the head of the Boys and Girls Clubs is male, unlike Ms Richards, so his salary is appropriate. Her must, by tradition, be about 2/3 his."
Are you suggesting that the salary for both individuals should be the same? Based on what standard?
Are you suggesting that the salary for both individuals should be the same? Based on what standard?
What needs to be done is find a way to prevent states from gerrymandering the districts so that these so called politicians will go away. Speaking of wasted money. All of these "Committees" leave no one to do the real work of congress.
I just want to cry reading these editorials knowing our country will remain stalemated for many years to come being run by crazed zealots with no real interest in working well with others. Did they learn nothing in primary school. one person may own the ball but with out a team there is no game.
I just want to cry reading these editorials knowing our country will remain stalemated for many years to come being run by crazed zealots with no real interest in working well with others. Did they learn nothing in primary school. one person may own the ball but with out a team there is no game.
22
I love that the Republicans attacked Miss Richards and Planned Parenthood as viciously as they did.
No better way to shine a spotlight on how hateful, mean-spirited, small-minded and short-sighted the GOP truly is than a display like America saw yesterday.
It'll be interesting to see how they're going to explain this to the five women who might be willing to vote for them in 2016.
No better way to shine a spotlight on how hateful, mean-spirited, small-minded and short-sighted the GOP truly is than a display like America saw yesterday.
It'll be interesting to see how they're going to explain this to the five women who might be willing to vote for them in 2016.
16
The wilful ignorance of the Republican members of that committee defies belief. Not to mention their boorishness and lack of manners. And they have no notion of shame.
11
No--shame is not something Republicans are acquainted with. McCarthyism is a bedrock principle of the Republican party. And their uninformed followers love it.
1
Take my tax money, give Ann Richards a raise, I say. If this woman can save Planned Parenthood by putting what Planned Parenthood is into perspective, and makes sure Planned Parenthood is available for women my age, women my daughters' ages, and for women my granddaughter's ages as they grow older, I would say her salary is priceless.
That women in the legislature, that women constituents across the country are buying these lame stories in regard to fetal tissue, and that those women are willing to turn their back on all other women is just plain selfish, and to a point, unbelievable. No, Carly Fiorina - that is what is shameful, not your phony stories.
Women, have a heart for your sisters. Stop believing the nonsense that is being handed out by the few numbers comparatively who want to ruin a proven means for health care for women. Surely there must have been a time in your lives when someone you know or maybe even yourself would have benefited by Planned Parenthood. If, not put on your imaginary cap and try. Because as a nurse, I can tell you, those women are out there and they need your help, and not because they want abortions.
That women in the legislature, that women constituents across the country are buying these lame stories in regard to fetal tissue, and that those women are willing to turn their back on all other women is just plain selfish, and to a point, unbelievable. No, Carly Fiorina - that is what is shameful, not your phony stories.
Women, have a heart for your sisters. Stop believing the nonsense that is being handed out by the few numbers comparatively who want to ruin a proven means for health care for women. Surely there must have been a time in your lives when someone you know or maybe even yourself would have benefited by Planned Parenthood. If, not put on your imaginary cap and try. Because as a nurse, I can tell you, those women are out there and they need your help, and not because they want abortions.
12
I may not have my facts correct ( in which case, correct me, please. I'm a Democrat - I believe facts), but don't hospitals routinely sell body parts from abortions and miscarriages? If that's the case, shouldn't Congress be investigating our hospital systems, too? And trying to shut them down?
Wait, don't give them any more crazy ideas....
Wait, don't give them any more crazy ideas....
7
Her interrogators also harped on her salary, which is more than $520,000 a year. ... The base salary for the head of the Boys & Girls Clubs, by the way, is $576,000.
Interesting. Probably not, however, to those Congressional Republicans leading this stupidity.
Interesting. Probably not, however, to those Congressional Republicans leading this stupidity.
8
The biggest advantage the Republicans have in the upcoming election year – and it’s a huge advantage – is their lock-step willingness to tell big lies, built upon even bigger lies, to the American people and to use Congress as their soap box. The attack on Planned Parenthood by the Republican’s Planned Prevarication is just the latest example.
Using the United States Congress as their theater of the absurd in the form of phony hearings has three benefits found nowhere else: the Republicans get free TV airtime for their lies, and because they control the “hearings” nobody can effectively dispute the lies as they are spun, and the Republicans – this is the best part – force American taxpayers to pay all costs for the privilege of being told the Republican lies.
Will the Republicans continue to be able to tell outrageous lies with impunity or will the nation’s television and radio network news and newspapers and internet news providers expose the lies very soon? After all, this is the land where Freedom of the Press is sacred.
Guess what? Each of us is going to have to do this on our own. There simply are not enough people like Gail Collins to go around.
Using the United States Congress as their theater of the absurd in the form of phony hearings has three benefits found nowhere else: the Republicans get free TV airtime for their lies, and because they control the “hearings” nobody can effectively dispute the lies as they are spun, and the Republicans – this is the best part – force American taxpayers to pay all costs for the privilege of being told the Republican lies.
Will the Republicans continue to be able to tell outrageous lies with impunity or will the nation’s television and radio network news and newspapers and internet news providers expose the lies very soon? After all, this is the land where Freedom of the Press is sacred.
Guess what? Each of us is going to have to do this on our own. There simply are not enough people like Gail Collins to go around.
7
Good comments and information, Ms Collins! Republicans' antics on this committee were/are extraordinary examples of 5 hours of bullying behavior of the one and only witness, Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood. Star Chamber and Inquisition combined, the committee outrageously refused to listen to Ms. Richards. Nor did this so-called "fact-finding" group solicit any information from any other witness (including those opposed to Planned Parenthood's existence and services). Thanks Ms. Richards and a few Democratic committee members who sprang to her defence from the ignorant, prejudiced, bombastic behavior and questions from the Republicans.
( BTW, this committee hearing and its non-stop questions revealed to us the Republicans' abysmal ignorance of human reproduction!)
( BTW, this committee hearing and its non-stop questions revealed to us the Republicans' abysmal ignorance of human reproduction!)
11
They are using the Donald Trump technique. Next up, the Spanish Inqisition.
1
What are we going to do for a second party after the Republicans get finished destroying themselves.
Oh sorry, I forgot the Dixiecans. Mr. Lincoln, we don't blame you.
Oh sorry, I forgot the Dixiecans. Mr. Lincoln, we don't blame you.
3
Republicans would rather run around in frenzied circles, than do anything substantive, because they know that their supporters are not interested in positive action, or...facts... but rather in stoopid stuff that makes them mad. I mean that in only the most strictly definitive way. Mad.
3
If Republicans can't kill the government, they'll be satisfied to totally gum it up so it can't work. This is what we've seen from the GOP for over 20 years now & the shabby rundown America of today is the result of their decades of gumming.
Republican Committee hearings are great examples of Corruption in Washington. Taxpayer money is being used solely for the purpose of political advantage.
During the 6 years of the Republican Congress while George W. Bush was President, the Republican Congress held so few Congressional investigative hearings that the minority party, the Democrats, held informal hearings. One such hearing was on the very generous contracting terms given to Iraq War and occupation private contractors and on waste in Iraq (where did that $8 billion in cash go?). The Republican majority graciously allowed the Democrats to hold those informal hearings in the basement. I think they also turned the electricity on.
Fast forward to the Republican majority today. They hold hearings because it allows them political advertising at taxpayer expense. They each hope that their two minutes of fame will be selected by Fox and the talk show hosts as one of the highlights. At a minimum, they can use sound bites in their political campaigns and show their deluded constituents that, yes, they are working hard at more than just fundraising for the next campaign.
It wouldn't matter what Cecile Richards said. Republicans have made it clear that facts will not be permitted to change their minds.
During the 6 years of the Republican Congress while George W. Bush was President, the Republican Congress held so few Congressional investigative hearings that the minority party, the Democrats, held informal hearings. One such hearing was on the very generous contracting terms given to Iraq War and occupation private contractors and on waste in Iraq (where did that $8 billion in cash go?). The Republican majority graciously allowed the Democrats to hold those informal hearings in the basement. I think they also turned the electricity on.
Fast forward to the Republican majority today. They hold hearings because it allows them political advertising at taxpayer expense. They each hope that their two minutes of fame will be selected by Fox and the talk show hosts as one of the highlights. At a minimum, they can use sound bites in their political campaigns and show their deluded constituents that, yes, they are working hard at more than just fundraising for the next campaign.
It wouldn't matter what Cecile Richards said. Republicans have made it clear that facts will not be permitted to change their minds.
11
"...those heavily doctored videos ...have been determined to be false, false, false on one count after another, but the anti-abortion activist who made them has never been invited to a congressional hearing to explain anything."
THAT is worth a more prominent spot in this excellent piece.
THAT is worth a more prominent spot in this excellent piece.
13
Gail, we all know there are two sides to every issue. For Republicans that means the Senate Repubs on one, the House Repubs on the other. In GOP speak that compares to Fox News's Fair and Balanced.
I have reconciled to the fact that I will go to the grave still wondering the following: "Why on earth do Amercian women vote republican?"
7
I keep wondering if these "gentlemen" (I use the term loosely) would support a bill that forced the "father" of said child to fully support it.
Love to hear the arguments they would come up with against that idea.
Love to hear the arguments they would come up with against that idea.
3
The House Republicans remind me of those on the House of un-American activities back in the late 40s and early 50s (though their were Democrats also caught up in this hysteria). One lesson learned then and again practiced more than a half of a century later is that the "Big Lie" works. Yell loud and often enough a sector of the public starts believing falsehoods.
3
Great last sentence Gail.
KABOOM!
You should have been a trial lawyer.
KABOOM!
You should have been a trial lawyer.
1
There is a certain disconnect between the professional class (and I include those in the media) and the rest of us Americans. Planned Parenthood, The Boys and Girls Club, not for profit hospitals and colleges all have administrators making quite large sums of money. As we say in my house, “How can you expect someone to live on less then $10,000 a week.”
The ideology behind Planned Parenthood was derived from the Nazi's experiments with humans, especially fetuses from women who were forced to abort.
@Kevin Rothstein
RE "Vote the zombie Republicans out of office 13 months from now."
But the electorate keeps voting GOP against their own benefit. Alas, this apparently is how democracy works in america where the people presumably know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. Afterall the electorate put the GOP back into power in 2012, even though it meant continuing political scorched-earth shenanigans and reckless brinkmanship. And incredibly they did it again in the 2014 mid-terms even though the GOP dominated congress expended most its energies on anti-abortion and anti-Obamacare measures. Obviously it´ll take a full return to debilitating GOP ideology to finally educate voters to the absurdity of what they are doing.
RE "Vote the zombie Republicans out of office 13 months from now."
But the electorate keeps voting GOP against their own benefit. Alas, this apparently is how democracy works in america where the people presumably know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. Afterall the electorate put the GOP back into power in 2012, even though it meant continuing political scorched-earth shenanigans and reckless brinkmanship. And incredibly they did it again in the 2014 mid-terms even though the GOP dominated congress expended most its energies on anti-abortion and anti-Obamacare measures. Obviously it´ll take a full return to debilitating GOP ideology to finally educate voters to the absurdity of what they are doing.
3
A great comparison to these hearings is the 1930's German court hearings of doomed defendants, who were castigated by Nazi judges, before being led away to be garroted.
3
Thanks for keeping the anger off the page and letting the reader feel it.
Of course, I was fuming before I read it, from having read another article exposing the Out of It's Mind Party.
The absurdly wealthy have put one hundred too many kooks in Congress. They have to go. Of course, insanity is not sustainable, so eventually they are going to be kicked out or bring down the system.
Well, the system is already gone; I mean bring down the pretense of a working government.
OK, that's gone too.
Of course, I was fuming before I read it, from having read another article exposing the Out of It's Mind Party.
The absurdly wealthy have put one hundred too many kooks in Congress. They have to go. Of course, insanity is not sustainable, so eventually they are going to be kicked out or bring down the system.
Well, the system is already gone; I mean bring down the pretense of a working government.
OK, that's gone too.
3
The Republican ill-bred nastiness on display at Tuesday's inquisition says a lot about how insidious and repulsive Republicans are to our governance. Like Benghazi, and the concocted Hillary email hullabaloo, the Planned Parenthood attacks are a partisan political vendetta. When Republicans fail to impose their right-wing ideology through legislation, they seek to impose it with intimidation, bribery and lies. They view shutting down the government as a political strategy! They would shut down the government, put our country's security at risk, hurt people in need of government services, set the economy back and do it with the satisfaction of a bully who spits in your face.
Americans need to wake up to who Republicans really are...they don't love or live by our Constitution, they are wannabe tyrants who want to turn America into a right-wing Christian theocracy founded upon the Old Testament.
Americans need to wake up to who Republicans really are...they don't love or live by our Constitution, they are wannabe tyrants who want to turn America into a right-wing Christian theocracy founded upon the Old Testament.
7
Can we just put the congressional Republicans in some time-out room until they come to their senses and stop lying, acting out, being rude and obnoxious, and refusing to clean up the messes they make?
3
We can vote the out but alas not until 2016.
Democrats, go to the polls at every election. There IS a difference between the parties.
Democrats, go to the polls at every election. There IS a difference between the parties.
6
From a moderate Republican who knows very little about Planned Parenthood - if the majority of the funding for Planned Parenthood is for Medicaid reproductive services, we need to stop fighting about it - it's a vital service. It's not as if this is a untethered block of cash. If there were people selling fetal body parts against company policy, fire them immediately, just like you would in a private company. If you are the CEO, own the problem and restructure the operations to try and prevent this from happening again. Then move forward.
74
Planned Parenthood sells baby body parts. Geez. Everybody knows that.
The Republicans would like to do away not only with Obamacare but with Medicaid. Of course, they want to attack PP. They'd like to attack everyone providing services to the low income, too, but they can't. This PP crusade of the Republicans is an attack not only on women but on the low income, disguised as concern over the welfare of (unborn) children. The Republican base worries about the last issue but willfully ignores the rest of it.
5
The "investigations" of Planned Parenthood and Benghazi have more than a few things in common. They're both aimed at successful women, run exclusively by men, and are both based on lies.
I thought the Republican Party was run by hard-nosed realists, but it looks more like a reunion of overpriveged frat boys with an ax to grind. And this Party wonders why it has a hard time reaching out to women?
I thought the Republican Party was run by hard-nosed realists, but it looks more like a reunion of overpriveged frat boys with an ax to grind. And this Party wonders why it has a hard time reaching out to women?
12
The stunned look on the face of the hack chairman Jason Chaffetz, when caught by Richards' attorney falsely claiming that an utterrly misleading graph was provided by Planned Parenthood when it was actually created by an anti-abortion group, was priceless.
9
I suppose Ms. Richards and the head of the Boys and Girls Club are good at their jobs. However, their salaries are outrageous. Both make more than the President. Both make at least ten times the average family salary in the US. Both make a dollar or more for every minute of every day they breathe. Both get paid at least $500 for a good night's sleep.
This is an excellent example of the income inequality that is eating away at our country.
This is an excellent example of the income inequality that is eating away at our country.
7
I've decided that these Republican-run committees are not worth further attention. That's the worse tragedy, that many Americans may find watching the grass grow to be more interesting than paying attention to congress.
3
Grilling Cecile Richards on lies concerning PP was a lot like the spectacle that was the Benghazi hearings - more concerned with perpetuating a myth than with finding the truth. And once such falsehoods circulate, there's no turning back and setting the record straight in too many peoples' minds - lies don't die.
3
The rightwing has murdered American Democracy and is aiming for a banana republic. Banana Republicans longing to be the old Nicaragua.
5
I agree the Repubs are bad but the Dems are CRIMINALLY bad - destroyiong our country!
What are we going to do for a second party after the Republicans get finished destroying themselves.
Oh sorry, I forgot the Dixiecans.
Mr. Lincoln, please don’t feel ashamed, we don't blame you.
Oh sorry, I forgot the Dixiecans.
Mr. Lincoln, please don’t feel ashamed, we don't blame you.
3
A possible solution for women who could be deprived of health services including contraception by a determined Republican Party might be a reading
of "Lysistrata" by Aristophanes.....a Greek Comedy about women
withholding sex from their warrior husbands.......Simple .....no sex... no
need for contraception........Everybody happy?
That's a comedy, this situation is nowhere near funny....We know healthcare for
women is about as important to the "Republic" Party as is healthcare for all of us.
Not at all........Pathetic for a country constantly singing praises of our reputed
"exceptionalism"
of "Lysistrata" by Aristophanes.....a Greek Comedy about women
withholding sex from their warrior husbands.......Simple .....no sex... no
need for contraception........Everybody happy?
That's a comedy, this situation is nowhere near funny....We know healthcare for
women is about as important to the "Republic" Party as is healthcare for all of us.
Not at all........Pathetic for a country constantly singing praises of our reputed
"exceptionalism"
5
Riddle me this: When is 300,000 more than three times 900,000? Answer: when a hack Republican chairman shows a doctored graph from a disreputable organization and tries to sell it as "authoritative". Just your standard nine-fold plus error. No wonder these guys can't get anything done, they can't even count.
9
Simple really - graph is to show DECLINE in other women's health services along with INCREASE in abortion services. The dollars are not comparable anyway since abortions obviously cost more than a breast exam. And that's what it shows. No one trying to compare the dollars. I don't find it misleading at all,
Wake up call: McCarthy would be third in-line for the presidency.... 'nuff said.
8
Mr. Chaffetz;
When will you "get to the truth" about that graphic purporting to show PP's increasing the number of abortions it provides while decreasing the number of breast exams. I probably won't hold my breath waiting for your explanation.
When will you "get to the truth" about that graphic purporting to show PP's increasing the number of abortions it provides while decreasing the number of breast exams. I probably won't hold my breath waiting for your explanation.
6
For those of us old enough to remember, and alas I'm one of them, this all sounds like "deja vu all over again" to quote another famous member of that era in the McCarthy era communist witch hunts and the House Un-American Activities Committee of the 1950s. The vile and virulent, fear-based Republican Party of that time has been replaced by the Republican Tea party zealots chasing after Planned Parenthood and other subversive forces. The frightening difference between then and now is that we no longer have a Republican President of the stature of Dwight Eisenhower to call out the Senator McCarthys in Congress nor the strong moral voice of a Joseph Welch to publicly state for all America to see on the televised hearings “Until this moment, Senator, I think I had never gauged your cruelty or your recklessness. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” Instead, the Republican Party has become the McCarthy Party of vitriolic, destructive, anti-government, Christian crusaders. Sadly, Pope Francis missed the chance to call them out and instead, we now learn, embraced their poster crusader, Kim Davis, who, like them, seeks to put religious law over civil, Constitutional law. We all heard the Pope's call to follow the Golden Rule; now we desperately need some leaders to come forward to practice it.
10
What scares me is that regular Americans voted these closed minded and, yes, dangerous people into office. What has gone wrong with the mentality of so many of our fellow citizens? Why do so many not even believe truth when it is put in front of them? Why do so many insist that what has been proven false over and over again is true? Did half the country fall on its head?
14
Worse...with the incessant attack on public education in terms of funding and anti intellectualism, ignorance and no intellectual curiousity have so increased that you have a huge part of the population playing the role of simpletons....
to quote Sean (the arrogant) Hannity...the American should be "fat, dumb and happy".....'nuf said.
to quote Sean (the arrogant) Hannity...the American should be "fat, dumb and happy".....'nuf said.
What happened is Fox News. That and the complete failure of the rest of the media to live up to their responsibilities as journalists: i.e. to report issues objectively and clearly. Remember, Chuck Todd says "it isn't [his] responsibility to" expose when a politician (ANY politician) is lying.
1
What we watched wasn't an investigating committee grilling Cecile Richards, it was a reenactment of the Spanish Inquisition. If Planned Parenthood would use that government money for chastity belts all those Republicans might not be so mad.
8
How wonderful to learn that Ms. Richards is Anns daughter! I've always loved and admired Ann Richards, and was totally baffled and dismayed when W's handlers weasled her out of the governorship. Oh what horrible consequences came from that. Ceciel's doing herself and her mother proud!
11
I'm sorry she never used the word, "Fraud" when referencing that clip. She should have called it ,"fraudulent" at every turn.
Calling it "heavily edited" is somehow ambiguous, and could easily refer to fine-tuning the sound. Words like, "fake" and "fraud" put it out there so that whenever she is quoted referencing it, that description would come along. Small stuff, but when they are trying to shift public opinion against the organization, one needs to fight that tide.
Calling it "heavily edited" is somehow ambiguous, and could easily refer to fine-tuning the sound. Words like, "fake" and "fraud" put it out there so that whenever she is quoted referencing it, that description would come along. Small stuff, but when they are trying to shift public opinion against the organization, one needs to fight that tide.
10
Abortion was made legal in the entire U.S. 42 years ago. In all this time, the Supreme Court has never chosen to revisit the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling, in spite of the move rightwards by the Court during this time. Why do you suppose the Court has never taken up any of the challenges to abortion, although it has had ample opportunities to do so. Why, you ask? Because the Supremes read the polls to and they realize that when over 50% of the voting population is in favor of legal abortion, they ain't gonna mess with it.
By the way, I am not a proponent of abortion but I support the right of others to make that choice.
By the way, I am not a proponent of abortion but I support the right of others to make that choice.
7
There have certainly been Supreme Court decisions since then revisiting the issues covered by Roe. See, for exampled, Planned Parenthood v. Casey
Thank you, Gail, for a great column. The unsurprisingly brutish and juvenile behavior of the House committee should be exposed and analyzed repeatedly for what it represents - the manipulation and hijacking of the facts concerning PP - both historically and present, in order to push a minority opinion over the majority.
A slew of recent polls shows that 60-69% of Americans do NOT want any government defunding of Planned Parenthood.
A majority of Americans do NOT want the government to shut down over Planned Parenthood.
A majority of Americans will blame the Republicans more than Democrats if the government shuts down.
And Democrats have asked for David Daleiden, the creator of this latest video sting operation, to be issued a subpoena to testify. He has close ties to anti-abortionists who were connected to the killing of abortion doctors and bombing abortion clinics. I, for one, would like to see this fellow grilled under oath.
A slew of recent polls shows that 60-69% of Americans do NOT want any government defunding of Planned Parenthood.
A majority of Americans do NOT want the government to shut down over Planned Parenthood.
A majority of Americans will blame the Republicans more than Democrats if the government shuts down.
And Democrats have asked for David Daleiden, the creator of this latest video sting operation, to be issued a subpoena to testify. He has close ties to anti-abortionists who were connected to the killing of abortion doctors and bombing abortion clinics. I, for one, would like to see this fellow grilled under oath.
28
Here's what puzzles me, Gail. You'd think that the GOP would actually want to push family planning - in order to reduce minority babies, the greatest source of future voters they have so artfully alienated.
But somehow their narrow focus on limiting medically safe choices for women is feeding bad karma, which will surely come back to bite them!
Sometimes I shake my head in wonder. When I'm not weeping for America.
But somehow their narrow focus on limiting medically safe choices for women is feeding bad karma, which will surely come back to bite them!
Sometimes I shake my head in wonder. When I'm not weeping for America.
67
they want control - outcomes mean nothing.
bush3 clearly believes govt should be just large enough to interfere with your family's end of life tragedy.
the rest believe that invading your bedroom and Dr.'s office is also the role of "smaller govt"
dems don't vote, reps win.
bush3 clearly believes govt should be just large enough to interfere with your family's end of life tragedy.
the rest believe that invading your bedroom and Dr.'s office is also the role of "smaller govt"
dems don't vote, reps win.
1
... or weeping for the hundreds of thousands of babies that are aborted each year.
Fish in a barrel. But you do with such a wonderful aplomb. Thanks Gail ! (May I call you Gail ?)
1
The people should let both parties have it --- the Republicans for threatening a shut-down, when according to the Huffington Post, 61% of citizens support the organization, and the Democrats, for knowing it would never happen, but letting the people believe it might. Does anyone in Washington realize citizens listen and plan their lives according to this poppycock. What is the secret for having both parties get serious?
1
Uh, voters who pay enough attention to know that Republicans have been either explicitly threatening to shut down the government, or promising that the GOP's shouters won't be allowed to shut down the government?
Bit off topic...IMHO, these salaries are highly inflated. So are CEO salaries of big companies, old school ones as well as VC funded dot coms and those based in Silicon Valley. Inequality is rampant.
4
How about the ex-CEO of HOME Depot who nearly killed the company and sues for $250 million for lost salary? He was already an old man when he joined Home Depot.
1
How much are these "hearings" and "investigations" costing? I believe a more effective approach would be to show the dollar and cents costs of this harassment to the American taxpayer. I also think the articles should become more aggressive. The media, including the NYT has been far too kind to the pro birth lobby. It is time get real. It is time time to stand up and fight.
8
I totally agree with you. The New York Times should sometimes adopt the French style of reporting like "J'accuse". Emile Zola.
The conduct exhibited in that hearing approaches abuse of power, and Kevin McCarthy's statements about the affect of the Benghazi investigation on Hillary Clinton's poll numbers is clear evidence of abuse of power. There has't been anything like this since that other McCarthy stained the halls of Congress. Given that parallel, perhaps there's an underlying reason why these representaives act so irresponsibly...that it's not a simple matter of immaturity and/or stupidity, but rather alcohol is involved.
8
Gowdy”s interrogation of the PP president was a disgusting farcical charade to wit:
GOWDY: Are you suggesting that people with a contrary view to yours need to change?
PP Pres: [she said nothing of the sort and said so]
GOWDY: You frame yourself as the one who is reasonable and those of us with a contrary position are not reasonable.
PP Pres: [she said nothing of the sort and said so]
GOWDY: NO, that's exactly the last answer you gave.
PP Pres: [that was not her answer and she said so emphatically]
GOWDY: NO, its not always what you say, sometimes it's just what you mean.
It's this sort of cheap artifice that Gowdy uses time and again and incredibly with some success particularly in a kangeroo court-like setting as we have here, but a bit too clever for its own good. In a proper court setting this kind of deliberate underhanded manipulation wouldn't be tolerated.
GOWDY: Are you suggesting that people with a contrary view to yours need to change?
PP Pres: [she said nothing of the sort and said so]
GOWDY: You frame yourself as the one who is reasonable and those of us with a contrary position are not reasonable.
PP Pres: [she said nothing of the sort and said so]
GOWDY: NO, that's exactly the last answer you gave.
PP Pres: [that was not her answer and she said so emphatically]
GOWDY: NO, its not always what you say, sometimes it's just what you mean.
It's this sort of cheap artifice that Gowdy uses time and again and incredibly with some success particularly in a kangeroo court-like setting as we have here, but a bit too clever for its own good. In a proper court setting this kind of deliberate underhanded manipulation wouldn't be tolerated.
10
On Tuesday, Richard Cohen wrote,"The Real Scandal: The Benghazi Probe". The same could be said of the Planned Parenthood probe. We must hold these members of Congress to account for the expenses they accrue tilting at windmills. What a waste of time, money and talent.
8
"Unsafe at any speed". Irrationality on the right makes them more popular - you see, they thrive on Low Information Voters, not on facts.
Does the NYT deserve a little bit of the responsibility to note who is the man behind the curtain in Republican circles? That the foment of childish and ignorant ideas has been at their core? I am sick and tired of the race to the lowest common denominator in our society; that idiocracy and lunacy are praised while truth and wisdom are denigrated. We reap what we sow, and so far the seeds all have been weeds (not the good kind of Weeds).
Does the NYT deserve a little bit of the responsibility to note who is the man behind the curtain in Republican circles? That the foment of childish and ignorant ideas has been at their core? I am sick and tired of the race to the lowest common denominator in our society; that idiocracy and lunacy are praised while truth and wisdom are denigrated. We reap what we sow, and so far the seeds all have been weeds (not the good kind of Weeds).
3
“Insanely irrational partisanship?” Thy name is Harry Reid.
But, then, we focus this morn on the House and Planned Parenthood, right? Not a Senate run for years by a man who may well go down in a someday-objective critical analysis as perhaps our most obstructive Senate Majority Leader ever. Not even really a Hillster and (interminably) Benghazi.
So, I’m a Republican who doesn’t have a major problem with Planned Parenthood, thinks Cecile Richards is pretty hot and would just as soon see the House focus on REALLY important things, like re-naming post offices and not shutting down government. But I’m also a Republican who understands how some excessively conservative U.S. Representative types can be so frustrated at having an undivided Republican Congress yet STILL can’t get Barack Obama into the trenches to negotiate … because Harry Reid is STILL protecting him, this time with the filibuster that he criticized so emotionally not long ago. Pity – if McConnell had taken my advice last January and repealed the filibuster, we might actually get those negotiations Mr. Obama avoids so gratefully. And with real negotiations we might actually move forward for a change.
But Cecile Richards had better find enough donors to replace $528 million in funding, because it’s clear that enough of those excessively conservative U.S. Representative types are offended at the funding that, sooner or later, it’s not going to be provided by Uncle Sam, Harry Reid notwithstanding.
But, then, we focus this morn on the House and Planned Parenthood, right? Not a Senate run for years by a man who may well go down in a someday-objective critical analysis as perhaps our most obstructive Senate Majority Leader ever. Not even really a Hillster and (interminably) Benghazi.
So, I’m a Republican who doesn’t have a major problem with Planned Parenthood, thinks Cecile Richards is pretty hot and would just as soon see the House focus on REALLY important things, like re-naming post offices and not shutting down government. But I’m also a Republican who understands how some excessively conservative U.S. Representative types can be so frustrated at having an undivided Republican Congress yet STILL can’t get Barack Obama into the trenches to negotiate … because Harry Reid is STILL protecting him, this time with the filibuster that he criticized so emotionally not long ago. Pity – if McConnell had taken my advice last January and repealed the filibuster, we might actually get those negotiations Mr. Obama avoids so gratefully. And with real negotiations we might actually move forward for a change.
But Cecile Richards had better find enough donors to replace $528 million in funding, because it’s clear that enough of those excessively conservative U.S. Representative types are offended at the funding that, sooner or later, it’s not going to be provided by Uncle Sam, Harry Reid notwithstanding.
Mr. Luettgen, there is no "undivided Republican Congress." The Republicans have both houses, it is true. However, during that time, their internal divisions have sown such chaos in their ranks that their leadership lacks the authority to negotiate with Democratic leaders. How can the President negotiate with a partner who can guarantee nothing or will simply renege as soon as any agreement is reached? How can a party negotiate at all when its most powerful faction views that as surrender in a scorched-earth war for total political control?
All of this mess will not exist if we had the single-payer healthcare like we do in Canada. There is no category of treatment. You go to a physician. He provides you with the treatment you need. No questions asked. It is that simple! From heart transplant to a suture to giving birth, an abortion or to fix from broken bones. The problem we have is that we make everything extremely complicated for absolutely no reason.
You can tell Republicans, religious leaders and conservatives all about the doctored tape about Planned Parenthood selling stem-cell tissue, all about how the organization never uses federal funds to pay for abortions and all about the good work they do for women throughout the country, they will not believe you. And after yesterday's hearing, we now know they don't even want to listen anymore.
As Upton Sinclair famously said, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it."
Also, why do we let men make such important decisions about women's health? I don't recall seeing many women sitting across the table from Mrs. Richards. I support without obstructing it a woman's right to get whatever medical treatment she believes she needs. I don't understand why that concept seems so foreign to so many people. I certainly wouldn't let anyone tell me where to go or not go to get a prostate exam.
We live in strange times.
As Upton Sinclair famously said, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it."
Also, why do we let men make such important decisions about women's health? I don't recall seeing many women sitting across the table from Mrs. Richards. I support without obstructing it a woman's right to get whatever medical treatment she believes she needs. I don't understand why that concept seems so foreign to so many people. I certainly wouldn't let anyone tell me where to go or not go to get a prostate exam.
We live in strange times.
10
did you vote in mid-terms? if not you know why reps are in charge
he Planned Parenthood "investigation" in Congress is another example of how Republicans proceed. They do not really evaluate evidence, but subscribe to the most flamboyant version of a propaganda fairy tale that garners the most publicity. Their questioning consists of speeches including half truths or false hearsay given to provide the most publicity to their own speech - elucidating facts is not none of the objectives. Lastly, the "search for facts" tends not to wait for answers from the subject being questioned. - The entire "show" is a sad example of how our Congress works and achieves little in the era of political infighting. All that from members who usually don't read the legislation they vote on - it is to long and complex - they just accept someone Else's interpretation what it is all about or they just follow the party line.
10
This is not the America I remember from 30 years ago. It has been going down in standards and education at a steady fast pace. America lost its luster and moral authority. It is becoming more and more reactionary and backward. Is this due to the extreme flow of illegal ignorant and uneducated Latinos who told me in their own words that that they are taking back what they lost during the past wars by simply walking through. I I wished I could have made this up. I did not.
Definition of a liberal – someone who sees nothing wrong with Planned Parenthood receiving government funding and then donating most of that money to the democrat party.
1
redmanrt, specific examples of govt money going to the Democratic party, please. By the way, a question for the panel investigating Planned Parenthood: how many of those representatives have adopted children whose birth was not planned and whose desperate mother had planned an abortion?
I've read this comment three times and it still doesn't make sense.
Definition of a bad comment: one that makes up facts out of whole cloth. Planned Parenthood has a PAC, which donates money to candidates; however, that money does not come from receipts from the federal government (or from Planned Parenthood at all), but from donations from individuals and corporations, of which the maximum in the last cycle (2014) was $5000. Ms. Richards are among the donors, so one could argue that $5000 of her salary went to candidates. But if you think that $5000 is "most" of $500,000,000, then I would suggest brushing up on your math skills.
That Republicans still want dominion over womens' lives, bodies and personal choices of what they will or won't do, is beyond contemptible. These vomitrocious House Congressional committees investigating Planned Parenthood are a throwback to Joe ("Tailgunner Joe") McCarthy's despicable, shameful and ignorant HUAC investigations into "Pinkos and Commies" in the 1950s. Planned Parenthood is irreplaceable.
5
The GOP war on women continues unabated. Shameless and ignorant, the GOP believes healthcare is only for the 1%.
10
The GOP has a phone terror campaign in which a hysterical person calls up a potential voter and warns them that Hilary Clinton is invading the US. and Obama stole the youth vote. This is probably how super pac money or maybe even illegal political money is being used today. And this madness is mostly about taxes when you get to the bottom of it. Planned Parenthood allows women to be in the work force by making contraception easily available, so the opposition is about jobs, that is keeping women from working because they have to care for unplanned children. Men aren't going to quit their jobs to care for them. And getting child support, hah!
2
I'm glad you included the information on the salaries of the heads of Planned Parenthood and the Boys & Girls Club being over a half-million a year. Such lucrative salaries are all too common in entrenched, iconic nonprofits like these and the many other de facto businesses masquerading as public charities.
1
You simply don't get it Ms. Collins. Those videos sparked a wake-up call to many Americans, pro-choice and pro-life alike. As a pro-choice advocate for most of my 63 years of age I am now rethinking my stance. How do I justify crushing the head and vacuuming out the brains of an almost fully formed fetus (As Dr. Nucatola said, "crush up, crush down")? How do I justify cutting at the chin and then up the face in order to salvage the brain as that Stemexpress tech said? 5.5% of all abortions are from 16-24 weeks. That's about 45,000 almost fully formed fetuses. Need I say more?
Well, I'd like you to say more about why you think lying about your beliefs is okay. I thought only sharia law types did that.
Republicans always complain of the taxpayers dollars being wasted and then they come up with hearings like these. What stands out is that you have a group of silver haired GOP good old boys displaying their ignorance on women's issues. These guys are a throwbacks of an era when women were suppose to be bare foot, pregnant, and silent. Ms, Richards maintained her dignity in a barrage of lectures from men who still live in the 50s.
4
Where is the alarm from respected news organizations that repeated lies are passing for truth? Where are the stories that might chronicle a cavalcade of lies that has been markedly sped up under the present administration?
Planned Parenthood is getting it in the neck because enough Americans have wised up and realized that gay people getting married is somewhere between cool and none of their business. PP is getting reamed in Congress because Obama's Justice Department hasn't perpetrated criminal actions as did Bush's JD in firing prosecutors who wouldn't go after political targets.
Planned Parenthood is the liberal devil of the day because in a time when the destabilizing policies of the last Administration has caused millions of Middle Eastern refugees to stream toward Europe, the tragedy of four people killed in Benghazi, as awful as that was, has paled, even for those who refuse to compare it to the greater tragedy of over 4000 American kids dead and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead, injured, or exiled.
American media, how about some perspective between the blithe disasters visited by the previous administration ("My Pet Goat"; "Heckuva job, Brownie"; "Mission Accomplished") and the even keel pragmatism of Obama? How about stories about how a tanking stock market in 2009 was Obama's fault, how high gas prices were due to Obama, and then how low gas prices were blamed on the President?
How about a little perspective on the Confederate Stimulant of the Day?
Planned Parenthood is getting it in the neck because enough Americans have wised up and realized that gay people getting married is somewhere between cool and none of their business. PP is getting reamed in Congress because Obama's Justice Department hasn't perpetrated criminal actions as did Bush's JD in firing prosecutors who wouldn't go after political targets.
Planned Parenthood is the liberal devil of the day because in a time when the destabilizing policies of the last Administration has caused millions of Middle Eastern refugees to stream toward Europe, the tragedy of four people killed in Benghazi, as awful as that was, has paled, even for those who refuse to compare it to the greater tragedy of over 4000 American kids dead and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead, injured, or exiled.
American media, how about some perspective between the blithe disasters visited by the previous administration ("My Pet Goat"; "Heckuva job, Brownie"; "Mission Accomplished") and the even keel pragmatism of Obama? How about stories about how a tanking stock market in 2009 was Obama's fault, how high gas prices were due to Obama, and then how low gas prices were blamed on the President?
How about a little perspective on the Confederate Stimulant of the Day?
4
Let's cut to the bottom line.
The guys who moralize and proclaim about the activities of Planned Parenthood are the same ones who get caught, in some cases literally, with their pants down, cheating on their spouses, taking kickbacks and not doing anything to earn their salaries.
The guys who moralize and proclaim about the activities of Planned Parenthood are the same ones who get caught, in some cases literally, with their pants down, cheating on their spouses, taking kickbacks and not doing anything to earn their salaries.
3
"Right now the House of Representatives has at least three different committees investigating Planned Parenthood."
Right now the House of Representatives has 0 committees investigating how America's economic might was given away to Communist China.
Par.
Right now the House of Representatives has 0 committees investigating how America's economic might was given away to Communist China.
Par.
2
The Planned Parenthood brouhaha is a sideshow. The main act is completed and certain Democrats were no more helpful than the Republicans. Abortion is a right and it doesn't come cheap. Poor women need government assistance. Absent such assistance, the right is not secure. When a number of Democrats joined the Republicans and voted against government funding of abortions, the dirty deed was done. If the government were funding abortions there would be a safety net and the funding of Planned Parenthood would not be such a big deal.
There are a lot of zombie ideas lurching around on the Republican party platform, and the PP show is one of them. The show keeps the rank-and-file entertained, and they are the true believers. The politicians, and more importantly, the Koch brothers et. al., know that a high population depresses wages. If they can get the laissez-faire thing through along with the anti-women's health-care thing through, they've hit a grand slam. Whether or not that's a paranoid conspiracy theory, whether or not it's by design, that's the real goal the zombies are lurching toward.
2
So Kevin McCarthy brags "Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping." So he admits that the committee's agenda is to campaign against Hillary Clinton. How much of the public's money is being spent on this? Isn't this completely illegal? Shouldn't the FEC be looking into a potential violation of campaign laws? Does no one care about this?
11
It was very offensive watching the GOP congress men badger their newest victim to be dragged before their committee. She was calm, collected , smart and beautiful, all traits missing from her questioners.
Hurray for Ms. Richards, a definite win. One would expect no less from the daughter of Ann Richards, the great former Gov. of Texas!!
Hurray for Ms. Richards, a definite win. One would expect no less from the daughter of Ann Richards, the great former Gov. of Texas!!
11
I'll believe republicans are sincere in their efforts to eliminate abortion the moment that they come out in favor of benefits for single moms and their children until they turn 18.
I'm guessing that I'll never have to believe republicans are sincere.
I'm guessing that I'll never have to believe republicans are sincere.
7
Planned Parenthood is already prohibited from using federal funds to support abortions. So what's the big deal here that the GOP is prepared to shut down the entire gov't if they can't eliminate all funding that would halt all women’s health services it provides particularly to those who are poor, including contraceptive services? This is a straight up frontal assault on women's rights to healthcare to be sure. If PP were to disappear, the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions would undoubtedly go up, only aggravating the anti-abortion zealots' quest. Utter stupidity.
5
Excellent column which recaps the entire smoke and mirrors tactics of which Kevin McCarthy inadvertently exposed in his race to proudly display his potential for House Speakership. The entire GOP scheme of creating spliced videos of supposed Planned Parenthood fetus body part farms was reminiscent of the cooked up evidence to invade Iraq (also a Republican magical act designed to fool the unsuspecting public). Planned Parenthood doesn't allocate any federal funding towards abortions unless the woman has been raped, is a victim of incest or her health is endangered. None of that matters to Republican "pro-life" fanatics, who are far more concerned about a fetus than the mother of the child. How particularly cruel for a man to be so outraged by abortion although has never experienced a rape, incest or an unplanned pregnancy of an impoverished teen. How cavalier to rail about the rights of a small fetus when the constitutional rights of women are being trampled by these rabid politicians like Carly Fiorina, Ben Carson, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, Marco Rubio, Sarah Palin, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Bobby Jindal & all the other GOP opportunists who use this issue to showboat their political agendas. What is even more alarming, is that all of these candidates & political leaders are willing to outright lie to the public in order to pander to the fundamentalist base & promise to overturn Roe vs. Wade. In reality, Planned Parenthood saves lives & prevents the spread of STDs.
3
Thank god the nation in its wisdom elected President Obama two times. Imagine if these imbeciles had also been handed the presidency. With these Republicans in control the nation would really have gone into a downward spiral; and in comparison the George W. Bush years would have been remembered as a golden age.
1
I fully trust that House Republicans will pledge to turn down life saving medical treatment for themselves and their loved ones if such treatment was based on fetal tissue research.
6
The grilling of Ms. Richards reminded me of the grilling Anita Hill received back in 1991. We haven't come very far it seems.
One thing is still clear- Republicans really hate women: strong, well paid women such as Ms Richards and poor women who rely on Planned Parenthood for health services. They just hate- period. Even Boehner couldn't stand them anymore.
One thing is still clear- Republicans really hate women: strong, well paid women such as Ms Richards and poor women who rely on Planned Parenthood for health services. They just hate- period. Even Boehner couldn't stand them anymore.
5
As clear an example as you could ask for on the relative intelligence of legislators. Senators usually require a modicum of intelligence and decorum; member of the House less so (and, in the case of this committee, considerably less). By the time you get down to state legislatures, virtually nothing is required-and it shows. All of the efforts to to devolve various federal functions to the states make me extremely nervous, Look no farther than the Neanderthals and baboons (sorry, Neanderthals and baboons) of what used to be the great state of North Carolina.
Seriously, though, I have never seen such a display of ignorance, bad manners, and outright misogyny displayed during Ms. Richards testimony. Little more than obscene catcalls in coats and ties.
Seriously, though, I have never seen such a display of ignorance, bad manners, and outright misogyny displayed during Ms. Richards testimony. Little more than obscene catcalls in coats and ties.
4
Here's a sobering thought. If the electorate installs a GOP president in 2016, a GOP oriented supreme court will become entrenched for another generation at least with the prospect of all the extreme anti-abortion demagoguery on display here being inevitably enshrined into law.
4
Instead of responding to the accusations thrown, I would like to see an accusation of the false basis of the question, and an other accusstion on the reasoning of asking questions based on known falshoods. Please, please explaine once and accuse/ attack back.
Why are these people allowed to repeat and repeat known lies without being challenged?
Why are these people allowed to repeat and repeat known lies without being challenged?
5
Anyone paying attention ten years ago would have seen the attack on Planned Parenthood and these sophomoric excuses for Congressional hearings coming a long way off. Opportunistic G.O.P. campaign managers saw abortion as THE wedge issue as far back as the election of 1980. It is one of the primary reasons why red state voters over and over and over again vote against their economic interests. They are proud to be known as "values voters" even when that means killing abortion doctors, cutting off health care to poor women, and swallowing or further disseminating the lies of anti-abortion leaders.
3
The best line (and fact) is the last one. Good reporters look for inconsistencies and hypocrisy. Bravo, Gail.
1
As usual, yet another Congressional committee is far more interested and concerned about something inside a woman than anything outside, which includes her dignity and control over her person.
I have come to conclusion, as I think about Congress, ISIS, Saudi Arabia, etc. etc. that there is nothing on God's green earth more powerful than male sexuality anxiety.
I have come to conclusion, as I think about Congress, ISIS, Saudi Arabia, etc. etc. that there is nothing on God's green earth more powerful than male sexuality anxiety.
6
The daughter of Ann Richards, eh? Can we pay her fives times as much and get her in the White House? That's one dynasty I'd purely love to see!
4
I say we march on Washington and drag the Republicans down to the Potomac and throw them in during a Hurricane.
1
No individual American should be prevented from donating their money or their time to Planned Parenthood.
No individual American should be forced to donate their money or their time to Planned Parenthood. However, this is what Congress is doing: Forcing you to be charitable, because they believe they know better than you how your money should be spent.
This is wrong, this is evil, this is not actual charity. The only difference between a thief taking your money and Congress is: The thief doesn't explain to you how you should be happy that your money was taken by force.
No individual American should be forced to donate their money or their time to Planned Parenthood. However, this is what Congress is doing: Forcing you to be charitable, because they believe they know better than you how your money should be spent.
This is wrong, this is evil, this is not actual charity. The only difference between a thief taking your money and Congress is: The thief doesn't explain to you how you should be happy that your money was taken by force.
1
I'm forced to donate my money to a lot of nonprofits, particularly religious, that I don't believe in. Practically every Catholic hospital is sucking on the government teat. That's even aside from the fact that all the churches are exempt from paying property taxes - which means mine are higher to compensate - even though their facilities use the same public utilities and municipal services, which cost money. If the churches want to be tax free, then our town sanitation department shouldn't have to pick up their garbage, process the sewage from their rest rooms, respond to their police and fire calls, etc. Or the faithful should pay out of the collection plate (let's see how long that lasts).
The churches, when they had temporal power, had a long history of 'taking your money by force'. This is why we have the separation of church and state.
Tax the churches.
The churches, when they had temporal power, had a long history of 'taking your money by force'. This is why we have the separation of church and state.
Tax the churches.
1
Watching that "Hearing" was like listening to the McCarthy days!!! Shameful & disgusting behavior by the Majority of the republican members. This is a witch hunt & not a true investigation.
Where were the other parties? People who made these tapes? Forsenic evidence? Why the questions about her salary. And loved that you printed the Boys & Girls Clubs-- Head's salary that was bigger.
These people do not know how to govern. They don't even know how to play well in the "Sandbox."
If the republican party plans to survive-- it must start treating all people with dignity & conduct themselves like adults who actually have some character.
Where were the other parties? People who made these tapes? Forsenic evidence? Why the questions about her salary. And loved that you printed the Boys & Girls Clubs-- Head's salary that was bigger.
These people do not know how to govern. They don't even know how to play well in the "Sandbox."
If the republican party plans to survive-- it must start treating all people with dignity & conduct themselves like adults who actually have some character.
6
I've never seen a whole political party go so completely insane. If you're a Republican, there is no question in your mind that Planned Parenthood is performing abortions so that they can sell body parts for profit. And you believe that Bengahzi and the IRS "scandals" are worse than Watergate. I'm totally dumbfounded. How can anyone ever hope to reason with such people? And when is someone in the party going to lead these fools back to the real world?
9
Gail has tremendous creativity in constructing her columns. Nothing formulaic about them and you never know how they're going to develop. Her closing line in this one is a classic.
3
It is hard to escape the conclusion that the republican congress needs to feed its addiction to some cause célèbre to justify opposition to paying for financial obligations it has already approved. Seems to make for great marketing.
Flying First Class? Chartering planes? Executive director realizing a $250,000 per year INCREASE in pay (to $550,000)!
And they had a $127 MILLION surplus last year. The government should take the money currently given to PP and give it community health centers. The hypocrisy of those screaming 'republican war on women' is both insulting and offensive. If anyone is the villain it is those that continue to fund a bloated bureaucracy at the cost of women's health.
Shame on Carolyn Mahoney for her ridiculous comments and shame on PP for their waste. Bravo to Jason Chafetz and his committee for bringing the funding issue to light.
And they had a $127 MILLION surplus last year. The government should take the money currently given to PP and give it community health centers. The hypocrisy of those screaming 'republican war on women' is both insulting and offensive. If anyone is the villain it is those that continue to fund a bloated bureaucracy at the cost of women's health.
Shame on Carolyn Mahoney for her ridiculous comments and shame on PP for their waste. Bravo to Jason Chafetz and his committee for bringing the funding issue to light.
2
What "community health centers"? PP provides access to healthcare for poor women where there are no other alternatives.
Shame on you for your ignorance.
Matt...Planned Parenthood runs community health centers. That's what they do. And the money they receive from the government is reimbursement for the services they provide there. Your anger seems to be about other aspects.
Yep, scenes like this fiasco are really going to help the GOP with women and poor people. Go Republicans!
2
They may however help the Republicans with people who posses a moral conscience when it comes to opposing the barbaric practices of PP.
John Boehner resigned NOT because of the fight over Planned Parenthood. He resigned because of the overall dysfunction.
Hillary is NOT unbeatable because the Republicans are investigating. Hillary is losing because SHE is the cause. No one really wanted her in the first place. She was crowned before she even admitted she was a candidate and no one dared oppose her. Those people only wanted a woman is president. Sad. She IS dishonest and makes her next move, not on what she actually believes but what is politically expedient.
Shame on the Republicans for spending our money (isn't that what they complain about government over spending) on frivolous causes.
And any CEO who makes over $200,000 on jobs like Planned Parenthood or Boys and Girls club should find another job. Especially one that allows leaks like what happened to happen.
Hillary is NOT unbeatable because the Republicans are investigating. Hillary is losing because SHE is the cause. No one really wanted her in the first place. She was crowned before she even admitted she was a candidate and no one dared oppose her. Those people only wanted a woman is president. Sad. She IS dishonest and makes her next move, not on what she actually believes but what is politically expedient.
Shame on the Republicans for spending our money (isn't that what they complain about government over spending) on frivolous causes.
And any CEO who makes over $200,000 on jobs like Planned Parenthood or Boys and Girls club should find another job. Especially one that allows leaks like what happened to happen.
1
The preferred Repub method for abortion is: Child is born to indigent parents, Child reaches 18 years, Inducted into the Army, Sent to oil rich area of world to be killed on behalf of US billionaires and their Saudi business partners.
26
This has gone to a level of crazy so bad that I don't even know what to day anymore.
1
I just wanted to say, Ms Collins; it is a deight to start my day reading your sassy column on the days it appears.
As for Richards's salary, I'd be willing to bet a lot of money I can't afford to lose that, unlike Chairman Chaffetz and his fellow House members, she works more days per year than 113 (2014) and averages more days per week than 3.
3
Congressional investigations are a farce. It's quite obvious that they are not intended to discover any truths but just to score some political points. The insulting comments by the committee members are inane, rude and totally unnecessary.
7
Perhaps, if John Duncan's mother had access to planned parenthood, we wouldn't be treated to irrational behavior by someone in the House of Representatives. The underlying theme of inquisitions like this one seems to be a solid disdain for all things poor. The same gang who are opposed to helping the poor through Planned Parenthood are, also,, against Obama Care for the same reason. It helps the poor. These programs are considered welfare which the right wing opposes except for Giant Corporation and the filthy rich. From their point of view women are second class citizens, and poor women, well what can one say?
5
All of what you wrote, Gail, is fine, but you neglected to mention PP's travel expenses, their expenditures for first class travel and private jets. IMO, no one in non-profit health care (or non-profit anything) should be spending money carelessly, especially if some of the money comes from taxpayers. I understand that taxpayer money is used to subsidize Medicaid patients. But no one hearing about first class travel among executives is going to hear that argument.
How lucky some people are that they can see the "big picture."
I think these inquiries into Benghazi and Planned Parenthood are evidence of desperation on the part of Republicans. Even moderate Republicans, and perhaps the better educated conservatives, can see through these fraudulent hearings. The needs of the country are being ignored as Republicans seek means to cling to power. If just a few hundred thousands of moderate Republicans decide to vote for Democrats in 2016, then maybe a Democratic president supported by a Democratic Senate and a stronger Democratic presence in the House will enable the progress Americans are wishing for and Republicans are unable, unwilling, and incapable of providing.
7
Deliciously, the Republicans are driving full speed into another political cul-de-sac. If they succeed in shutting down the government, the public backlash will be enormous. and if they succeed in defunding Planned Parenthood, the political and public backlash will be enormous. Once again, the GOP has veered away from running on meaningful political issues to running on feel-good social issues that are unwinnable. I wish I had the Democratic popcorn concession.
6
I think Cecile Richards is as brave and awesome as her brave and awesome mom, Texas Governor Ann Richards. That the Republicans think they can 'defund' Planned Parenthood really means they want to end Medicaid, the actual primary source of Planned Parenthood funding. That means they don't give a damn about maintaining healthy female body parts, which is what Medicaid funding of Planned Parenthood actually does. They'd rather rant and rave about at cost sales of fetal tissue for scientific research and rename it sales for profit of baby body parts. Oh the mendacity!
8
I like how those Republicans who say that the money should go to other health care agencies that don't provide abortion services conveniently overlook that those fetuses are not being used for satanic rituals but for medical research. I guess that they feel that we've had enough research on diseases although I'd bet that if they or their family members become ill, they'd be demanding more research on them.
And you can't beat Carly Fiorina demanding that Obama and Pelosi watch a non-existent tape. I guess Carly wants them to have the same visual hallucinations as she has.
And you can't beat Carly Fiorina demanding that Obama and Pelosi watch a non-existent tape. I guess Carly wants them to have the same visual hallucinations as she has.
10
If the federal funding of Planned Parenthood is mostly Medicaid receipts, then how do Republicans plan to "defund," it? Democrats better get smart and turn this into a campaign issue. This is a flagrant example of the 114th do nothing congress campaigning from the legislature. At least with Medicaid receipts federal spending was spent on a person going to the doctor. These hearings are federal spending being spent on deceptive videos.
5
I) It's another shot at defunding Obamacare and will be back in Dec. 2) The real story is in the man who filmed the project and the funding. 3) It was timed for the presidential primaries, time to gin up the base. 4) Why aren't the AG's from the 7 States who have found nothing illegal being given coverage? 5) Will Carly be given a pass on her self determined " fact free" version of the video?
9
The lack of preparation, foresight, impartiality, and overall competence exemplified by House Representatives Jason Chaffetz, John Duncan, Jim Jordan and their ilk is at once stunning and nauseating. Never in my life can I remember a moment when I advocated for any cause or position with such single-minded determination that in order to prevail, it necessitated a willful disregard for facts and common sense. While ignorance may be bliss, lying to oneself and others has serious consequences.
8
Collins: "But it was probably meant to reassure his supporters that the team has never really faltered in its commitment to insanely irrational partisanship."
Rational and civil discourse and interest in advancing the public/common good are things of the past.These guys belong in mental institutions, not Congress.
Rational and civil discourse and interest in advancing the public/common good are things of the past.These guys belong in mental institutions, not Congress.
7
Since politics has just become a team sport in which the only thing that matters is which side is "winning," I'd like to propose adding a hockey-type rule in which an offending player may be forced "off the ice" with no right of substitution during the penalty period. These penalties (no voting or speaking on the floor) would be invoked when a Congressperson materially misrepresents the truth (oh oh), participates in a fraudulent exercise that costs taxpayer's more than, say, $200,000, or continues an exercise that after three months of diligent investigation does not turn up validated evidence justifying continued investigation, accepts bribes. I could go on .... With escalating penalties for repeat behavior. A standing independent team of retired judges could referee.
4
As always, enjoyable article...if it weren't true in exposing the pettiness and willful ignorance of a republican party adamant in destroying Planned Parenthood. As to why the author of the doctored and lying videos, claiming PP to have sold fetal tissues is not in jail, is an outrage. And those congressmen, insulting themselves, by attacking Ms Richards on unfounded charges. This is a farce paid for by anti-abortion groups adamant in destroying a health organization that does a lot of good for indigent folks, for which it receives a paltry sum from government; of note, an conveniently brushed over, is the fact that abortions (3% of PP activity) are not covered by any health insurance , Planned Parenthood included. This travesty is ongoing, republican spite for all to see. When will this stupid circus stop? Enough already.
3
It will stop when women's rights go back to the 50's. 1850s.
A few points:
1) The PP tapes may have been edited for broadcast but weren't doctored. The claim that they were doctored is from an investigation funded by PP. The tapes clearly show PP doctors negotiating to sell fetal tissue, which is illegal.
2) If you care to read Roe v Wade, it is clear that the decision does not allow for unlimited abortions and clearly allows states to regulate or prohibit abortions when the fetus reached viability except in situations where the life/ health of the mother are at risk.
3) No one wants a return to illegal abortion mills, but that doesn't mean abortion at any time for any reason should be the rule, nor does Roe v Wade allow that.
4) There are roughly 4 million births in the US annually. And approximately 1 million abortions. So, roughly 20% of pregnancies that don't end naturally (miscarriage, still births) end in abortions. I don't know what the right percentage should be, but 20% seems very high -- and suggests women's health isn't the issue so much as convenience. One can be pro choice and still not want it to be commonplace. 20% seems commonplace.
5) A fetus is not medical waste. And we should not use profit as an incentive for abortion, particularly late term abortions which are the most profitable, nor allow the idea that some good may come of the abortion to influence the mother's thinking.
6) PP recycles tax dollars into political contributions, almost exclusively to democrats. Clearly wrong.
1) The PP tapes may have been edited for broadcast but weren't doctored. The claim that they were doctored is from an investigation funded by PP. The tapes clearly show PP doctors negotiating to sell fetal tissue, which is illegal.
2) If you care to read Roe v Wade, it is clear that the decision does not allow for unlimited abortions and clearly allows states to regulate or prohibit abortions when the fetus reached viability except in situations where the life/ health of the mother are at risk.
3) No one wants a return to illegal abortion mills, but that doesn't mean abortion at any time for any reason should be the rule, nor does Roe v Wade allow that.
4) There are roughly 4 million births in the US annually. And approximately 1 million abortions. So, roughly 20% of pregnancies that don't end naturally (miscarriage, still births) end in abortions. I don't know what the right percentage should be, but 20% seems very high -- and suggests women's health isn't the issue so much as convenience. One can be pro choice and still not want it to be commonplace. 20% seems commonplace.
5) A fetus is not medical waste. And we should not use profit as an incentive for abortion, particularly late term abortions which are the most profitable, nor allow the idea that some good may come of the abortion to influence the mother's thinking.
6) PP recycles tax dollars into political contributions, almost exclusively to democrats. Clearly wrong.
1
When you edit out parts of a tape, that is doctoring. Especially when it removes the context of statements made, i.e. charging for storage and transport of fetal tissue can be made to look like selling of the tissue. BTW, research using fetal tissue donations has been done since the 80s. Why is it suddenly an issue today? There is NO evidence that PP profits from fetal tissue donations, and several state investigations have done on that very point. Ben Carson conducted fetal tissue research himself. Where do you think the fetal tissue came from? Defense contractors, who receive hundreds of billions from the federal government, donate to Republicans - is that wrong? Finally, if Republicans are so concerned with the number of abortions, why do they try to make it more difficult to obtain contraception? Some of them would actually like to make the pill illegal.
1
Where do you get your "facts" Ralphie?
1
A foetus is medical waste. It is what is left over from a medical procedure.
1
Where is the right-wing's concern and nation over the nation's 315 million unregulated testicles ?
Certainly if we need to heavily regulate women's uteruses and protect the Unborn, we also must need a nationwide effort to regulate men's testicles and protect all those Unborn Sperm.
And yet, the Republican Right-Wing Misanthropes remain perfectly and eerily silent on the very source of all those Unborn, the nation's testicles.
Congress needs to hold hearings on the nation's testicles, which may hold the missing link in both the 'abortion' issue and the inner workings of the Republican brain.
Certainly if we need to heavily regulate women's uteruses and protect the Unborn, we also must need a nationwide effort to regulate men's testicles and protect all those Unborn Sperm.
And yet, the Republican Right-Wing Misanthropes remain perfectly and eerily silent on the very source of all those Unborn, the nation's testicles.
Congress needs to hold hearings on the nation's testicles, which may hold the missing link in both the 'abortion' issue and the inner workings of the Republican brain.
83
"Where is the right-wing's concern and nation over the nation's 315 million unregulated testicles ?"
314,999,999. He doesn't want to talk about it right now.
314,999,999. He doesn't want to talk about it right now.
1
Are the Republican male members of Congress really that uninformed about what constitutes women's health care? Have their wives/daughters never experienced one or more of the following? Menstrual periods, vaginal infections, benign ovarian cysts, hysterectomies, menorrhagia, debilitating cramps, pregnancy, fibroids, menopause, toxic shock syndrome, amenorrhea, cesarean section, miscarriage. I haven't even gotten around to birth control and mammograms. These ill-informed brutes have no business making policy about women's health. Why are we (and this column) so tepid about really going after these throwbacks?
12
The word unfortunate is too polite a word to use when attempting to describe our political representation. Hearings more reasonably considered as shouting matches where nothing is or can be determined beyond the decibel level are an ongoing insult.
Stupid, impractical, sophomoric they should be removed from office wholesale but that requires our citizenship to actually notice the sideshow our government has become.
We get the leaders we choose so don't blame them for their antics
Stupid, impractical, sophomoric they should be removed from office wholesale but that requires our citizenship to actually notice the sideshow our government has become.
We get the leaders we choose so don't blame them for their antics
5
I didn't choose them!
"We get the leaders we choose"
Not always. See Bush v. Gore.
Not always. See Bush v. Gore.
I don't know why they choose to scare the public.
It is all disheartening and depressing to me, and I have great difficulty finding the humorous perspective. Additionally, I wish those morons who slurped their wine and boasted their insider info would now slurp hemlock. They have done an enormous disservice. If they were to spend the rest of their lives trying to make amends, it still would not be enough.
1
Incredibly bad theater being passed off as responsible governance. However, it does draw a certain demographic to which other snake oil can be sold. That infomercial is, of course, the Republican primary. Really sort of brilliant, in a ham-handed sort of way. Barnum would be proud.
1
Dear Ms. Collins,
Really, $520,000.00 is not a "stunning amount of money for a job at that level?"
Considering Ms. Richards is a scion of a political family I can only assume there's a bit of either 'nepotism' or 'family dynasty' at play here.
Tell you what, for 1/2 that amount, I'll don an "Attack Dog Training Suit" and face whatever the GOP/TP/KOCH AFFILIATE throws at me all day long!
Ms. Richards really doesn't have much to worry about as "Planned Parenthood" is the "American Way of Life" destroyer de jour of the Republicans at the moment. Gay bashing is so 'yesterday', DOMA is DEADO and Obamacare just doesn't have the 'traction' as an issue (Maybe, because it actually works?).
So videos that look like something put together by a bunch of 10 year olds are the motive force behind all the Republican yelling and hand waving; everybody grab the 'brown bags' and start breathing before the 'panic' sets in!
Meanwhile, we have a new McCarthy? Wasn't that done back in the 50's? Is this new guy going to be given a new moniker perhaps "Tail Gunner Two"?
Maybe he'll 'channel' Joe McCarthy's spirit and start seeing "Benghazi Conspirators" in every nook and cranny of this country. If he says he has a 'list' of names in his pocket, this time someone have the guts to ask him to produce this 'list'.
Otherwise, Ms. Richards should just sit back and ride the current. They'll move onto something else shortly or, probably, just go on another 'break'.
Really, $520,000.00 is not a "stunning amount of money for a job at that level?"
Considering Ms. Richards is a scion of a political family I can only assume there's a bit of either 'nepotism' or 'family dynasty' at play here.
Tell you what, for 1/2 that amount, I'll don an "Attack Dog Training Suit" and face whatever the GOP/TP/KOCH AFFILIATE throws at me all day long!
Ms. Richards really doesn't have much to worry about as "Planned Parenthood" is the "American Way of Life" destroyer de jour of the Republicans at the moment. Gay bashing is so 'yesterday', DOMA is DEADO and Obamacare just doesn't have the 'traction' as an issue (Maybe, because it actually works?).
So videos that look like something put together by a bunch of 10 year olds are the motive force behind all the Republican yelling and hand waving; everybody grab the 'brown bags' and start breathing before the 'panic' sets in!
Meanwhile, we have a new McCarthy? Wasn't that done back in the 50's? Is this new guy going to be given a new moniker perhaps "Tail Gunner Two"?
Maybe he'll 'channel' Joe McCarthy's spirit and start seeing "Benghazi Conspirators" in every nook and cranny of this country. If he says he has a 'list' of names in his pocket, this time someone have the guts to ask him to produce this 'list'.
Otherwise, Ms. Richards should just sit back and ride the current. They'll move onto something else shortly or, probably, just go on another 'break'.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, you always think this is about abortion. Abortion is used to deny you any contraception.
Grow up.
Grow up.
2
When decent people are too disgusted to run for office, this is what we get.
9
Reality and truth have never played a huge role in Republican political circles, so it was good to hear the speaker-in-waiting define a need for the Benghazi hearings. I await his pronouncement on the need to further investigate Planned Parenthood.
In my mind there is little more that needs to be said about a political party whose leading presidential contenders are Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina. How serious about leading our Nation could it be?
In my mind there is little more that needs to be said about a political party whose leading presidential contenders are Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina. How serious about leading our Nation could it be?
6
Average earnings last year, each, 25 highest paid hedge fund guys:
$463 MILLION.
Alex Rodriquez, yearly pay to play baseball: $25 MILLION.
Willard Romney's average yearly investment income: $23 MILLION.
Average US CEO income: 373 TIMES their average worker.
By those, American, standards Ms. Richards pay is a pittance.
$463 MILLION.
Alex Rodriquez, yearly pay to play baseball: $25 MILLION.
Willard Romney's average yearly investment income: $23 MILLION.
Average US CEO income: 373 TIMES their average worker.
By those, American, standards Ms. Richards pay is a pittance.
9
Still...clearly we have a system that allows irrationally high wages to some professions and CEOs, while most workers are lucky to save enough for a small vacation, each year.
Give a baby a rattle, and before long, the youngster will begin to bang it on whatever surface is available and be enthralled with mirth. The same holds true for republican legislators. They love to bang that 'gavel', thrilled with themselves but oblivious to any other activity around them. Their level of knee jerk reaction to whatever seems to be their latest target -- in this case, Planned Parenthood ,but it could be Bengazi, etc. -- is all the more troubling because it points out their continuous rejection of anything resembling reality. They are so enthralled with their own piousness that they are blind to anything else. You can't govern when you spend all your time on a witch hunt, especially with the number of REAL troubles that this country is experiencing. What will be the next threat to a shutdown? And the one after that? Our democracy is being held hostage by a group of zealots who are the real traitors to anything that might move the country forward. Radicals are not "conservatives," they are the fringe element of idiocy.
8
I think referencing the videos as "heavily doctored" is itself going to prove arguable for both sides of this tragedy, given the recent report by Coalfire, which indicates no editing. https://www.scribd.com/embeds/283100242/content?start_page=1&view_mo... Coalfire, as best as I can tell from the report, has not commented on the content, only on the question of the editing. It is worth reading.
Depends on what you mean by "editing", doesn't it?
Is it really fair to place the blame for the way Congress operates on these republican wackos? After all, they were actually elected by a majority of the constituents in their districts.
The blame to be placed for the sad state of our governance is squarely on a no-nothing electorate.
So long as we celebrate ignorance in our schools and in our culture (and the evidence is rampant that we do), we will reap a harvest of ignorant legislators.
The blame to be placed for the sad state of our governance is squarely on a no-nothing electorate.
So long as we celebrate ignorance in our schools and in our culture (and the evidence is rampant that we do), we will reap a harvest of ignorant legislators.
5
You missed the point of the complaint - planned parenthood is accused of donating money to the Democrats
5
This is all just part of the Great Conservative Going Out of Business Sale of 2015. Richards played rope-a-dope and let the cons wear themselves out. The tactic now is more of the same. If anything the left should make high note of all such attempts like this hearing, Benghazi, the looming coup or shutdown as you prefer and the next several attempts to repeal Obamacare. The public is paying attention.
95
The public should also be made aware of the price tags associated with all these hard-right GOP activities: $72.5 million for 50+ attempts to repeal Obamacare, $14 million (as of May 2015) for multiple Benghazi investigations (none of which has found any wrong-doing) and whatever is being spent on the current Planned Parenthood Witch Hunt (including the cost of Rep. Chaffetz dishonest chart). All of that is dwarfed by the $24 billion cost to the economy of the GOP's last government shutout. So much for the party of fiscal responsibility.
"Great Conservative Going Out of Business Sale of 2015"-- what a marvelous phrase. Thank you for giving me something to smile about in the midst of the madness our current congress imagines to be governance.
I'm surprised more hasn't been made of her salary as well as that of other non-profit heads. How many times more is her salary than the median of the rest of the staff? This is almost as maddening as the trumped up charges against Planned Parenthood and leaves it vulnerable to just the kind of defunding gambits being played out here. Why do PPs supporters put up with that?
13
We should expect CEOs of non-profits to work for free?
That would certainly limit the applicants for those jobs.
Salaries should be commensurate with the size of the organization and type of duties, aptitude sand skills.
That would certainly limit the applicants for those jobs.
Salaries should be commensurate with the size of the organization and type of duties, aptitude sand skills.
3
Half a million seems like a lot but she lives on the East coast and probably pays the top tax rate. If you take into account those adjustments - it is a little less. As someone who has worked in both non-profits and corporations - the work load expected in non-profits was so so so much more.... Unfortunately the non-profit genre is still male dominated and I haven't heard any yelling about those salaries.
1
She deserves every penny and a raise. Many people at Planned Parenthood are volunteers - we're happy to help out and glad to have a wonderful leader.
1
You know what wasn't "heavily doctored" in the Planned Parenthood videos? The inexcusably flippant, sophomoric attitude of the employee in the video. Was she an anomaly? Is this the attitude we should expect from organizations that can't survive without half a billion dollars annually from the federal government? Does Planned Parenthood deserve to exist for perpetuity without an attitude adjustment. It performs very important and vitally needed services. Its employees should act like it. Its executive director should earn her half a million a year and demand better.
29
It was supposed to be a private conversation. Maybe what came across as flippant was a defense mechanism used by medical professionals in order to remove themselves emotionally from what is often wrenching situations involving life and death.
3
Thank you for that all-male perspective on a subject that clearly seems foreign and exotic to you.
1
How do you know who's an employee and who is a plant in a doctored video.
1
Dear Gail,
I believe that both supporters and detractors are deliberately avoiding a larger issue. The left believes that Planned Parenthood is somehow entitled to taxpayer money, period. The right wants Planned Parenthood defunded, but feel like they have to generate a heart-tugging narrative to accomplish that. And that really bothers Planned Parenthood's supporters because the "caring, feeling" narrative of the left has been turned against them in a very effective manner. You can't watch the videos or hear the descriptions of the details of abortion (edited or otherwise) and the sterile descriptions of fetal tissue over lunch and have any sympathy for those in Planned Parenthood. So the left screams about doctored videos and the money doesn't actually fund abortions but some other aspect of the organization.
The simple fact is that Planned Parenthood will get along just fine without any federal assistance. So will the Boys and Girls Club and a host of other organizations that receive taxpayer dollars. If you, Gail, so firmly believe in the cause of Planned Parenthood, open your own pocketbook and give generously.
I believe that both supporters and detractors are deliberately avoiding a larger issue. The left believes that Planned Parenthood is somehow entitled to taxpayer money, period. The right wants Planned Parenthood defunded, but feel like they have to generate a heart-tugging narrative to accomplish that. And that really bothers Planned Parenthood's supporters because the "caring, feeling" narrative of the left has been turned against them in a very effective manner. You can't watch the videos or hear the descriptions of the details of abortion (edited or otherwise) and the sterile descriptions of fetal tissue over lunch and have any sympathy for those in Planned Parenthood. So the left screams about doctored videos and the money doesn't actually fund abortions but some other aspect of the organization.
The simple fact is that Planned Parenthood will get along just fine without any federal assistance. So will the Boys and Girls Club and a host of other organizations that receive taxpayer dollars. If you, Gail, so firmly believe in the cause of Planned Parenthood, open your own pocketbook and give generously.
2
You do realize their compensation is for health care services rendered to Medicaid recipients don't you?
It is NOT federal assistance. It is reimursement for medical services, the same as any other hospital or health care provider receives. If you don't want taxpayer dollars to go to these organizations, then what in heaven's name do you suggest we do with those millions of new children born if abortion were not an available option?
1
The federal funds in question come from patients who use Medicaid. The poor. They are used for annual pap smears and other checkups, diagnosing and treating STDs, not abortions. Why is that wrong? Other medical offices accept Medicaid. Why shouldn't Planned Parenthood?
In some horrifying, abstract, clinical way, it's interesting watching the progression here.
We have, in short order, gone from government of/by/for The People, to government of/by/for The Very Rich, to government of/by/for Fundamentalist Conservatives... who, like good fundamentalists of any stripe, play only for keeps and only by their own rules, take no prisoners, and burn all nonbelievers at the stake. Hell hath no fury like a fundamentalist opposed.
So, what should we expect next? I don't know, but given the power of American exceptionalism, it wouldn't surprise me if it makes China's Cultural Revolution look like a tea party by comparison.
We have, in short order, gone from government of/by/for The People, to government of/by/for The Very Rich, to government of/by/for Fundamentalist Conservatives... who, like good fundamentalists of any stripe, play only for keeps and only by their own rules, take no prisoners, and burn all nonbelievers at the stake. Hell hath no fury like a fundamentalist opposed.
So, what should we expect next? I don't know, but given the power of American exceptionalism, it wouldn't surprise me if it makes China's Cultural Revolution look like a tea party by comparison.
6
No, it is still government for the rich, and that is not going to change anytime soon. The Rich (Republicans) have been using the anti-abortion crowd and gun nuts as tools for many years now, and that is not likely to change. Throw in the Racists, and you have a significant voting block that has successfully taken over the Congress. Running these dog and pony show hearings in Congress are to keep those masses in line, while the underlying mission of redistributing all the Country's wealth to the top 2% is quietly making progress every day.
Just another day of Boys Night Out in Congress. Really, who elects these neanderthals to office? Aside from their rudeness, which I gather is now in fashion in the Republican party, I am most troubled by minds that are resilient to any form of rational argumentation. And now, we are looking at a new Speaker, who, even his colleagues admit, is not given to deep thought. We keep looking at test scores to rate our educational system, a better indicator would be the level of thinking of our Congress.
21
The federal money given to Planned Parenthood is not for abortion - and that is the problem. I don't mean the money should be used for abortion but rather that the non-abortion health services should be provided by medical clinics that make all women (and men) feel comfortable. The transition need not happen overnight.
In the meantime, the excesses of Planned Parenthood shown on the videos (doctored or not) certainly give congress a reason to cut back funding. A 25% haircut would let all claim victory and send just the right message.
In the meantime, the excesses of Planned Parenthood shown on the videos (doctored or not) certainly give congress a reason to cut back funding. A 25% haircut would let all claim victory and send just the right message.
1
Why? Why should one clinic get funding and not another? PP is extremely efficient at providing health care to low income families. Why take that away? Explain yourself. It's already been shown that there aren't other clinics that can absorb these patients. That's just another fiction. Why not fund an organization that does what it does so well? Why take that away? Pure spite? over what? Fictional videos? I have an idea: let's create some fictional videos about House Republicans, and then have expensive investigations into those men's conduct based on the fictional videos, maybe prosecute them and jail them based on fictional videos. Whaddya say? It'll be fun, and might even send a message.
"the excesses of Planned Parenthood shown on the videos (doctored or not)"
I hope you never serve on a jury. "Sure, the evidence was proved to be fake, but the fake evidence clearly indicated he was guilty!"
I hope you never serve on a jury. "Sure, the evidence was proved to be fake, but the fake evidence clearly indicated he was guilty!"
I am so tired of the tantrum throwing odious little white boys in Congress, who enjoy Cadillac health care on the taxpayer dime, politicizing and sensationalizing the government's longstanding and responsible role in providing funding to ensure adequate health care for women. I am also tired of paying for these witch hunts.
47
These hearings are a gift for the pro-life movement. They have been quietly working on defending life in the womb for years and they are reaping the benefits from years of hard work. They are seeing the positive efforts appear from these Congressional hearings and they should be proud. There is no more important issue today then protecting the most vulnerable among us -- innocent babies. If the Republicans did not feel that this was a serious issue it would never have been brought before Congress. They have moral convictions and I wish we could say the same for Democrats.
Planned Parenthood is a farce and Cecile Richards came across as ignorant of her organization. She has no moral fiber and she should lose all funding for this evil empire. We saw the brutality within these videotapes and they do not lie. They were not touched or doctored but showed the employees discussing the selling and money making from selling aborted baby parts. Why are the liberals not seeing this cruel and inhumane behavior? Are they so insensitive and unfeeling that they turn a blind eye?
We have all ready killed over 50 million innocent babies; and if that is not enough to make you livid and squeamish, nothing ever will. This viciousness must end and so must Planned Parenthood. Give the money to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America in which it will be put to good use. At least they are protecting life and not ending it.
Planned Parenthood is a farce and Cecile Richards came across as ignorant of her organization. She has no moral fiber and she should lose all funding for this evil empire. We saw the brutality within these videotapes and they do not lie. They were not touched or doctored but showed the employees discussing the selling and money making from selling aborted baby parts. Why are the liberals not seeing this cruel and inhumane behavior? Are they so insensitive and unfeeling that they turn a blind eye?
We have all ready killed over 50 million innocent babies; and if that is not enough to make you livid and squeamish, nothing ever will. This viciousness must end and so must Planned Parenthood. Give the money to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America in which it will be put to good use. At least they are protecting life and not ending it.
1
Republicans are not willing to fund social services. So what would we do with those 50 million children, many of whom would have been born to poor mothers?
1
You do realize that the centerpiece of the video with the baby moving its legs was of a late-term miscarriage that occurred in a hospital and had nothing to do with abortion or Planned Parenthood? The mother is outraged that her lost child and her privacy have been shown at all, let alone in this context of lies. Can't wait 'til the lawyers work this through the system. If nothing else, it's an obvious breaking of HIPAA Privacy laws.
As long as you're willing to let your tax dollars also feed, house, raise and educate that child so that the quality of life they experience is in line with your love of the fetus you defend so rigorously, then great. If it merely extends to just keeping a fetus alive until birth, and then your mission is completed, then spare me.
1
I marvel that so many are willing to play this game on Republican, obstuctionist turf. No one has mentioned the other part of this story and instead of debating the whole issue are stuck trying to defend these ridiculous Republican attacks, playing only on their side of the field.
The reality is that the fetal tissue being sent, not sold, to entities that are practicing science. You know, science, that thing that the Republicans deny and loathe all at the same time. The fact is that these fetal tissues are used for research that is meant to and, in fact, does benefit humankind. But that would mean acknowledging that science exists, learning and exploring is a good thing, and matters to humankind's well-being going forward. Science and scientists are working to better understand who we are, how we live, and how to improve our world.
Republicans much prefer we see the world as a place where horror movie ghouls are "selling" and "buying" body parts. For what end? They don't say and don't care. What they care about is stirring up their masses and minions and keeping their cushy jobs. All the rest is sound and fury..
The reality is that the fetal tissue being sent, not sold, to entities that are practicing science. You know, science, that thing that the Republicans deny and loathe all at the same time. The fact is that these fetal tissues are used for research that is meant to and, in fact, does benefit humankind. But that would mean acknowledging that science exists, learning and exploring is a good thing, and matters to humankind's well-being going forward. Science and scientists are working to better understand who we are, how we live, and how to improve our world.
Republicans much prefer we see the world as a place where horror movie ghouls are "selling" and "buying" body parts. For what end? They don't say and don't care. What they care about is stirring up their masses and minions and keeping their cushy jobs. All the rest is sound and fury..
31
One could perhaps better understand the wrath of these republican congressmen when you begin to realize that of the proclaimed 57 million abortions that have occurred over the past 40 years a vast majority of these unwanted could be providing significant income in their investment portfolios.
A majority of these aborted embryos if allowed to live would now be enjoying their lives in our profitable prisons and have denied these poor politicians their dividend. Their apparent concern might not be all that noble and it plays so well with their religious base.
A majority of these aborted embryos if allowed to live would now be enjoying their lives in our profitable prisons and have denied these poor politicians their dividend. Their apparent concern might not be all that noble and it plays so well with their religious base.
8
And the dumb get dumber...No ten years ago I would not have believed that Planned Parenthood would come under attack; that the Scopes trial would be brought back to be fought in 2015; that global warming would be thought of as a hoax. There is a review of a book about Alexander Von Humboldt in the Times Book Review. It seems that he predicted that if we didn't recognize the inter-relatedness of nature we would face drastic consequences in the future. This was in the late18th century! Then along came Darwin with the theory of evolution. (I don't think some of these people understand the meaning of scientific theory as opposed to general theory, as in I have a theory as to why grandma jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge.) It is thought the populous of this country are, for the most part, intelligent and educated people. How wrong that thought is. There's a bunch of dolts out and I have now idea how they came to be in positions of power. I have a theory that many Americans are ignorant and not informed, because they want to go way back in time before all these pesky ideas were written about Also as a woman just stay away from my body and help poor women to get the health care they need. And a final note-- please just go home and shut up.
32
As one making a testamentary bequest to Planned Parenthood, I could not have been prouder of Cecile Richards, who conducted herself with dignity and determination in the face of what Republicans have become, ravening canines.
Proof: Chaffetz's last lie, his slide which he claimed displayed data from Planned Parenthood's annual report, stated in the lower right-hand corner its origins with the group making the fraudulent films.
If I may add a note to suggest the reasons for such Republican madness:
The real fuel of the anti-abortionist movement, aside from its political benefits in some places, is a fear that modern science is again threatening religion. Once medical science improved its ability to save "preemies," the religious used this development as a basis for opposing abortions. Why? Because they feared that man was replacing God in matters of life and death.
Justice Blackmun's majority opinion in Roe v. Wade made matters worse. By ignoring religion and substituting science and "state interest," he fostered the unending contention and litigation which dominates the issue. Ironically, if he had paid attention to religion, he would have found abortion justified as an exercise of religion and protected it under the First Amendment. Read more: http://firstimpressionssecondthoughts.blogspot.com/.
Proof: Chaffetz's last lie, his slide which he claimed displayed data from Planned Parenthood's annual report, stated in the lower right-hand corner its origins with the group making the fraudulent films.
If I may add a note to suggest the reasons for such Republican madness:
The real fuel of the anti-abortionist movement, aside from its political benefits in some places, is a fear that modern science is again threatening religion. Once medical science improved its ability to save "preemies," the religious used this development as a basis for opposing abortions. Why? Because they feared that man was replacing God in matters of life and death.
Justice Blackmun's majority opinion in Roe v. Wade made matters worse. By ignoring religion and substituting science and "state interest," he fostered the unending contention and litigation which dominates the issue. Ironically, if he had paid attention to religion, he would have found abortion justified as an exercise of religion and protected it under the First Amendment. Read more: http://firstimpressionssecondthoughts.blogspot.com/.
13
Well put, neighbor.
The problem goes beyond Planned Parenthood. It's not abortions. We have a GOP which rules the House as if the Dems did not exist. The so called Hastert rule effectly converts the Republican caucus into the House, by requiring a majority of a majority, putting the legislative process into the hands and subject to the ideology of a minority, disenfranchising the majority of American voters in rigged election favoring of Republican candidates.
The result is that a cabal of government hating, radical reactionary Tea Party/Republicans who are a minority in the House and a majority in the caucus, who think that they are entitled to enact their agenda and cram their religious dogmas or else. Or they will shut the government down and default on the debt or both. By any means necessary they will rule or ruin. Last time it was Obamacare this time Planned Parenthood.
Why them? Radicals believe that God has exacted a price for women having sex. Pregnancy, venereal disease, etc. Women must be punished for having sex and especially unmarried or poor women. They would outlaw contraception if they could. They believe that women are inferior. People like these hate democracy because they are not in the majority. The entire thrust of the GOP is to have minority rule. Opposition must be slandered, stricken from the voting rolls, jailed if necessary. They hate anyone to whom the people are grateful for real progress which must be stopped.
The result is that a cabal of government hating, radical reactionary Tea Party/Republicans who are a minority in the House and a majority in the caucus, who think that they are entitled to enact their agenda and cram their religious dogmas or else. Or they will shut the government down and default on the debt or both. By any means necessary they will rule or ruin. Last time it was Obamacare this time Planned Parenthood.
Why them? Radicals believe that God has exacted a price for women having sex. Pregnancy, venereal disease, etc. Women must be punished for having sex and especially unmarried or poor women. They would outlaw contraception if they could. They believe that women are inferior. People like these hate democracy because they are not in the majority. The entire thrust of the GOP is to have minority rule. Opposition must be slandered, stricken from the voting rolls, jailed if necessary. They hate anyone to whom the people are grateful for real progress which must be stopped.
51
To Tb's point about this witch-hunt being about birth control: John Dean offered a great name for these folks: Authoritarian Conservatives. They want an authoritarian government regarding personal choices that will enforce conservative values. Nevermind that the point of our cherished liberty is to be free from such things. These folks have a long history in the US - the authoritarian govt of Massachusetts executed a Rhode Island woman in the 1600s - for being a Quaker, which were forbidden upon penalty of death. We the people enrage them by being independent thinkers. Sadly, these type of conservatives don't realize how incredibly unpatriotic they really are.
203
I got my first contraceptives from Planned Parenthood as a college student in 1977. The advice and care I got there have stood me in good stead my entire life. I have never had an unplanned pregnancy, practice safe sex, am in excellent health, and have a full and enjoyable relationship with my partner.
I thank Planned Parenthood for doing what it does, so that others may enjoy the good fortune I have had. Without its services, the foundational support that I got early in my life, it would not be what it is today.
Those Congressmen could care less about women's health; their quality of life; and their autonomy. They don't worry about it; it doesn't affect them; they don't care.
I thank Planned Parenthood for doing what it does, so that others may enjoy the good fortune I have had. Without its services, the foundational support that I got early in my life, it would not be what it is today.
Those Congressmen could care less about women's health; their quality of life; and their autonomy. They don't worry about it; it doesn't affect them; they don't care.
346
"I have never had an unplanned pregnancy, practice safe sex, am in excellent health, and have a full and enjoyable relationship with my partner."
Does it require taxpayer dollars for any of the above to occur?
"Those Congressmen could care less about women's health; their quality of life; and their autonomy. They don't worry about it; it doesn't affect them; they don't care."
Why should Planned Parenthood receive any federal assistance? Would they completely collapse without federal funding?
Does it require taxpayer dollars for any of the above to occur?
"Those Congressmen could care less about women's health; their quality of life; and their autonomy. They don't worry about it; it doesn't affect them; they don't care."
Why should Planned Parenthood receive any federal assistance? Would they completely collapse without federal funding?
....too bad that college education didn't provide you with a moral foundation to recognize good and evil.
No, I'm a complete heathen. But don't tell the church where I teach Sunday School. They think I'm a model Christian! And the kids. If they found out I got contraceptives at PP almost 40 years ago, they would be devastated, I tell you. Devastated!
The most amazing thing is that the Republicans get away with their dishonest duplicitousness.
With Benghazi, which now is the longest investigation in the history of Congress, longer than Watergate, longer than Pearl Harbor, longer than the assassination of Kennedy, the Republicans aim was to bring down Hillary, and it's working?!? I think Hillary and the rest of the Democrats should really start fighting back by refusing to participate any longer. Stay on point and keep repeating the fact that it's the longest investigation in our history, with no new facts being uncovered after millions of dollars spent.
As far as Planned Parenthood is concerned, keep repeating that the government already passed legislation that Planned Parenthood can't fund abortions.
But, why aren't enough people pointing out that abortion is LEGAL in our country? If the Republicans want to ban it, they're going to have to pass legislation overturning Roe v. Wade, and they know they can't.
So, once again they show how, when they don't have the votes and when a majority of Americans have a positive opinion about Planned Parenthood, or Hillary, they have to lie and use our government as a cudgel to beat all of us over the head to get what they want.
With Benghazi, which now is the longest investigation in the history of Congress, longer than Watergate, longer than Pearl Harbor, longer than the assassination of Kennedy, the Republicans aim was to bring down Hillary, and it's working?!? I think Hillary and the rest of the Democrats should really start fighting back by refusing to participate any longer. Stay on point and keep repeating the fact that it's the longest investigation in our history, with no new facts being uncovered after millions of dollars spent.
As far as Planned Parenthood is concerned, keep repeating that the government already passed legislation that Planned Parenthood can't fund abortions.
But, why aren't enough people pointing out that abortion is LEGAL in our country? If the Republicans want to ban it, they're going to have to pass legislation overturning Roe v. Wade, and they know they can't.
So, once again they show how, when they don't have the votes and when a majority of Americans have a positive opinion about Planned Parenthood, or Hillary, they have to lie and use our government as a cudgel to beat all of us over the head to get what they want.
115
Hilary is bringing down Hilary. She does not need any help from Republicans.
But always remember, when a Republican says, "The American People want ... ," what they mean is "The American People who voted for ME want ... ."
Morality is making sure that everyone obeys the laws of God, period. It has nothing to do with love or caring, because ordinary human love and caring would extend to the welfare of the infants once they are born.
28
We do not live in a Theocracy. Much as many people do not believe.
1
Ethics is never ever claiming to know what this imaginary God entity thinks.
1
Re "ordinary human love and caring would extend to the welfare of the infants once they are born"
Really? One in five US kids live in poverty. Many are unwanted children. The height of hypocrisy in GOP ideology being imposed in GOP-dominated state legislatures is to aggravate this pathetic circumstance by suppressing a woman´s right to choose on one hand, and then dooming the disadvantaged unwanted child to a life voyage bound in shallows and in miseries on the other. GOP ideology plays hardball with the disadvantaged and impoverished in the guise of providing for economic efficiencies; but it isn´t a remedy for the worst of society´s ills ... the apathy of human beings.
Really? One in five US kids live in poverty. Many are unwanted children. The height of hypocrisy in GOP ideology being imposed in GOP-dominated state legislatures is to aggravate this pathetic circumstance by suppressing a woman´s right to choose on one hand, and then dooming the disadvantaged unwanted child to a life voyage bound in shallows and in miseries on the other. GOP ideology plays hardball with the disadvantaged and impoverished in the guise of providing for economic efficiencies; but it isn´t a remedy for the worst of society´s ills ... the apathy of human beings.
At times, I wish that the government would remove all the services it provides to the people, from closing national parks, to subsidies to farmers, milk producers, cotton, sugar, oil, social security, medicare, medicaid, air controllers, roads and bridges, education, boys and girls clubs, planned parenthood, emergency services, food and drugs evaluation, workplace safety...you get the idea. And then, these people could really enjoy and relish the comforts and pleasure of small government. Oh, how happy they would be. I can see them smiling.
111
Oh...and don't forget the military. Who needs that when we have the right to bear as many arms as we like!
As usual, detractors of small government can't seem to separate the wheat from the chaff. Government at any level exists primarily for two purposes - protection of life and property. After that, it's whatever the politicians promise and short-sighted special interest groups and voting blocs can pilfer from the treasury.
No businesses should be receiving subsidies in any manner. If we truly believe in a free-market system, such assistance would would be abhorrent. By the same token, private services like the Boys and Girls Club and Planned Parenthood have no right to ask for assistance either. But I don't expect big-government types to ever grasp that concept.
No businesses should be receiving subsidies in any manner. If we truly believe in a free-market system, such assistance would would be abhorrent. By the same token, private services like the Boys and Girls Club and Planned Parenthood have no right to ask for assistance either. But I don't expect big-government types to ever grasp that concept.
If the sole purpose of government is protecting the country from enemies and protect life and property, we can just have an army and a police. We can then give full authority to a general and a police commissioner and then we would have virtual paradise.
The Republican War on Women continues...and continues...and continues.
169
How does denying federal tax dollars to a private organization constitute a "war" on anyone?
The stunning thing is that this is not really about abortion, it's about birth control and family planning. The GOP, once the party of less government, are now trying to use the might of the federal government to stop family planning.
The GOP is now in the same place as the Catholic Church regarding sex -- i.e. pushing celibacy for the vast majority of Americans. No one who is not married should have sex. And even people who are married should only have sex when they intend to have babies. Is the Rhythm Method now in the GOP party platform?
It's understandable that an all-male priesthood sworn to celibacy would come to such twisted thinking about sex. But it's hard to understand how the Republican Party (though male-dominated) go to the point where they want to force as many women to be pregnant as possible. It just doesn't square with what I once understood as Republican values. Old Barry Goldwater (who supported family planning) is out there rolling over in his grave.
The GOP is now in the same place as the Catholic Church regarding sex -- i.e. pushing celibacy for the vast majority of Americans. No one who is not married should have sex. And even people who are married should only have sex when they intend to have babies. Is the Rhythm Method now in the GOP party platform?
It's understandable that an all-male priesthood sworn to celibacy would come to such twisted thinking about sex. But it's hard to understand how the Republican Party (though male-dominated) go to the point where they want to force as many women to be pregnant as possible. It just doesn't square with what I once understood as Republican values. Old Barry Goldwater (who supported family planning) is out there rolling over in his grave.
138
Look how well they've succeeded in forcing women to have babies! Just ask Bristol Palin. No marriage, babies with different men, lives on an income derived from the government...why, she's the epitome of the "welfare queen!"
1
It's not about abortion, birth control or family planning. It's about Republicans demonizing the majority of Americans--women, liberals and Democrats--to keep their base voters engaged. Just as with Benghazi and Hillary Clinton's emails, this manufactured outrage over Planned Parenthood is only about bringing the other side's poll numbers down. And just like the Iraq War, all three "scandals" are based on falsified, propaganda-based information--clearly, a Republican specialty.
Peggy Goldwater, the wife of Barry, was one of the founders and major supporters of Planned Parenthood in Arizona. There is a great quote by Barry about what would happen if the religious right wing got control of the Republican party. He predicted that it would be impossible to govern with these people because they refuse to compromise. Guess he got that one right.
1
In case you thought Republicans were serious about reducing abortion rates or that 'pro-life' means anything other than Grand Old Poverty, Pain, Prevarication, Propaganda and Forced Pregnancies, think again.
The GOP - already famous as the party of guns, wars, executions, torture, and GOP Death Panel states - has already officially come out as pro-abortion in Colorado.
This past April, Colorado Republicans voted to eliminate funding for an award-winning family planning program that cut the state’s teen birth rate by 40% and cut the teen abortion rate by 35%.
The Colorado Family Planning Initiative provided low cost/free IUD implants to poor women and saved Colorado taxpayers $42 million in Medicaid costs they would have paid to care for new mothers and their children.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/06/colorado-contraception-fa...
But Republicans found the drop in teenage pregnancy and drop in abortions too distasteful; they were furious that this good government program saved taxpayers millions of dollars --- how dare government be a cause for good ?!
Republicans, however, were very careful to lie and say IUDs are 'abortifacients', which they are not.
Any right-wing or religious nincompoop who opposes contraception and sex education is in fact pro-abortion because their head-in-the-sand policy causes more unintended pregnancies and abortions.
GOP 2015: Lying and Eliminating Contraception And Increasing Abortion For A Dumber Tomorrow.
The GOP - already famous as the party of guns, wars, executions, torture, and GOP Death Panel states - has already officially come out as pro-abortion in Colorado.
This past April, Colorado Republicans voted to eliminate funding for an award-winning family planning program that cut the state’s teen birth rate by 40% and cut the teen abortion rate by 35%.
The Colorado Family Planning Initiative provided low cost/free IUD implants to poor women and saved Colorado taxpayers $42 million in Medicaid costs they would have paid to care for new mothers and their children.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/06/colorado-contraception-fa...
But Republicans found the drop in teenage pregnancy and drop in abortions too distasteful; they were furious that this good government program saved taxpayers millions of dollars --- how dare government be a cause for good ?!
Republicans, however, were very careful to lie and say IUDs are 'abortifacients', which they are not.
Any right-wing or religious nincompoop who opposes contraception and sex education is in fact pro-abortion because their head-in-the-sand policy causes more unintended pregnancies and abortions.
GOP 2015: Lying and Eliminating Contraception And Increasing Abortion For A Dumber Tomorrow.
160
Socrates, I live in CO and I am so dismayed this program was defunded. So many young women were given a chance at moving into life, getting educated, getting themselves established before deciding whether or not to have children because of this program. Doctors and researches came out and refuted the notion that the IUDs were abortifactants. But as usual, the right wing has no use for facts. They are desperate to legislate women's sexuality and to punish women, even teen women. Where will this end, this lying and bullying?
3
Cecile Richards was cool, calm and collected under a partisan barrage of disinformation, propaganda, and outright abuse. Ann Richards would be proud.
We are less than proud of contemptible attitudes and behavior exhibited by the 'inquisitors' of the United States Kangaroo Court: a new standard of mean, political manipulation by a legislative committee revealed to all.
If Ms. Richards' salary is used as a tool to further discredit Planned Parenthood's very right to exist, may we suggest some further number crunching ?
Those with long memories no doubt recall the $24 Billion (yes, a 'B') squandered by Gop spoilsports on the First Republican Shutdown of the Government. Such a screaming success that they plan a repeat performance every few years.
Let us suppose the $24 Billion Shutdown loss were to be split among those congressionals salivating for small government. The individual tab for each downshutter would be a mind-boggling figure, somewhere in the multiple millions. Richards' salary, a miniscule fraction of that $24 Billion loss,
is as nothing in comparison. And she works for her salary, providing excellent services for almost 3 million low-income Americans. Gop extremists in Congress don't work for our well-being: they are amply compensated saboteurs taking no responsibility for fiduciary madness; Gop fiscal conservatism a sick joke.
Bill them all for a $24 Billion rip-off of the Treasury: debtor's prison always an option for deadbeats. No parole.
We are less than proud of contemptible attitudes and behavior exhibited by the 'inquisitors' of the United States Kangaroo Court: a new standard of mean, political manipulation by a legislative committee revealed to all.
If Ms. Richards' salary is used as a tool to further discredit Planned Parenthood's very right to exist, may we suggest some further number crunching ?
Those with long memories no doubt recall the $24 Billion (yes, a 'B') squandered by Gop spoilsports on the First Republican Shutdown of the Government. Such a screaming success that they plan a repeat performance every few years.
Let us suppose the $24 Billion Shutdown loss were to be split among those congressionals salivating for small government. The individual tab for each downshutter would be a mind-boggling figure, somewhere in the multiple millions. Richards' salary, a miniscule fraction of that $24 Billion loss,
is as nothing in comparison. And she works for her salary, providing excellent services for almost 3 million low-income Americans. Gop extremists in Congress don't work for our well-being: they are amply compensated saboteurs taking no responsibility for fiduciary madness; Gop fiscal conservatism a sick joke.
Bill them all for a $24 Billion rip-off of the Treasury: debtor's prison always an option for deadbeats. No parole.
56
You forgot to call the committee members "loutish oafs". Indeed, Cecile
Richards can thank her mother, the steely back-boned governor of Texas for her own stand against "loutish oafs". Ms. Richards handled herself with grace and determination to continue to help WOMEN. No argument there and if Republicans continue on this path they will suffer at the polls. Angry women vote.
Richards can thank her mother, the steely back-boned governor of Texas for her own stand against "loutish oafs". Ms. Richards handled herself with grace and determination to continue to help WOMEN. No argument there and if Republicans continue on this path they will suffer at the polls. Angry women vote.
The ugly charade performed in the House perfectly illustrates the current state of partisan politics in the U.S. The adversarial character of our political system dictates that Democrats and Republicans will tend to employ dirty tricks to attack each other. Even George Washington, in his second term, could not escape the spears and arrows of outraged opponents.
But the paralysis and vitriol on display in Congress today transcend the normal ugliness that mars political democracy. The not-so-grand inquisitors who attempted to crucify Ms. Richards made fools of themselves partly because they were consumed by their deep hostility towards an institution they regarded as evil. The Democrats and most of the responders to Collins' column betray an equal scorn for conservatives.
The GOP campaign slogan next year will surely include the admonition that the conservative elect need to "take back the country," implicitly from the socialist, anti-Christian Democrats. Democrats will label their foes as racists and homophobes.
I share the biases of the Democrats, and I also believe that the responsibility for the current poisoned political environment belongs mainly to the Tea Party. The fact remains that a democracy cannot function properly when each side in a political contest regards the other as dangerous to the country. The Republican attempt to limit voting stems from this conviction. Compromise is almost impossible in this environment. I fear for the future.
But the paralysis and vitriol on display in Congress today transcend the normal ugliness that mars political democracy. The not-so-grand inquisitors who attempted to crucify Ms. Richards made fools of themselves partly because they were consumed by their deep hostility towards an institution they regarded as evil. The Democrats and most of the responders to Collins' column betray an equal scorn for conservatives.
The GOP campaign slogan next year will surely include the admonition that the conservative elect need to "take back the country," implicitly from the socialist, anti-Christian Democrats. Democrats will label their foes as racists and homophobes.
I share the biases of the Democrats, and I also believe that the responsibility for the current poisoned political environment belongs mainly to the Tea Party. The fact remains that a democracy cannot function properly when each side in a political contest regards the other as dangerous to the country. The Republican attempt to limit voting stems from this conviction. Compromise is almost impossible in this environment. I fear for the future.
16
The poisoned environment antedates the T-Party.
From Wikipedia:
The "GOPAC memo", called "Language: A Key Mechanism of Control", was written and distributed to members of the Republican Party by Gingrich in 1994. It contained a list of "contrasting words" and "optimistic positive governing words" that Gingrich recommended for use in describing Democrats and Republicans, respectively. For example, words to use against opponents include decay, failure (fail), collapse(ing), deeper, crisis, urgent(cy), destructive, destroy, sick, pathetic, lie, liberal, they/them, unionized bureaucracy, "compassion" is not enough, betray, consequences, limit(s), shallow, traitors, sensationalists; words to use in defining a [Republican] candidate's own campaign and vision included share, change, opportunity, legacy, challenge, control, truth, moral, courage, reform, prosperity, crusade, movement, children, family, debate, compete, active(ly), we/us/our, candid(ly), humane, pristine, provide.
The cover page of the memo said: "The words in that paper are tested language from a recent series of focus groups where we actually tested ideas and language
From Wikipedia:
The "GOPAC memo", called "Language: A Key Mechanism of Control", was written and distributed to members of the Republican Party by Gingrich in 1994. It contained a list of "contrasting words" and "optimistic positive governing words" that Gingrich recommended for use in describing Democrats and Republicans, respectively. For example, words to use against opponents include decay, failure (fail), collapse(ing), deeper, crisis, urgent(cy), destructive, destroy, sick, pathetic, lie, liberal, they/them, unionized bureaucracy, "compassion" is not enough, betray, consequences, limit(s), shallow, traitors, sensationalists; words to use in defining a [Republican] candidate's own campaign and vision included share, change, opportunity, legacy, challenge, control, truth, moral, courage, reform, prosperity, crusade, movement, children, family, debate, compete, active(ly), we/us/our, candid(ly), humane, pristine, provide.
The cover page of the memo said: "The words in that paper are tested language from a recent series of focus groups where we actually tested ideas and language
2
There is NO false equivalency that the democrats are as horribly disrespectful as this current republican party. Maybe a case or so over the years, but not this relentless antipathy.
If we had a government instead of a perpetual campaign & propoganda industry, it would be investigating the anti-abortion group that made these doctored videos and the politicians using them to manipulate the public, instead of conducting a show trial of Planned Parenthood.
And I would not have wanted to be in her position, but I thought Cecile Richards was weak. The Republicans were repeatedly shouting one question at her then interrupting her to accuse her of not answering another question. They lied repeatedly about the content of the videos and the about the subject of the "investigation." They did not deserve her contempt, let alone the respectful way she responded to them.
And I would not have wanted to be in her position, but I thought Cecile Richards was weak. The Republicans were repeatedly shouting one question at her then interrupting her to accuse her of not answering another question. They lied repeatedly about the content of the videos and the about the subject of the "investigation." They did not deserve her contempt, let alone the respectful way she responded to them.
16
If Cecille had reacted with the anger I felt she would have given them more fodder. I thought her behavior brought out their obnoxiousness very well.
Ms. Richards was admirably restrained. The best strategy is to let the "investigative" panel, show their worst selves so everyone can see it. It worked like a charm.
Those silly grandstanding, fact-free Republicans, wasting everyone's time and taxpayer money over some tempest in a teapot. And their treatment of Cecile Richards at their tone-deaf "hearings" was embarrassing and made them look like a bunch of loutish oafs. Despite all the dust the Republicans kicked up, they are way out of touch AGAIN with the citizenry.
Besides the simple fact that the abortion rate has been declining in the U.S. and is half what it used to be in 1981, a new USA/Suffolk University poll reported twice as many of those polled supported government funding for Planned Parenthood (65%) as opposed it (29%). 91% of Democrats support the funding, compared to 59% of Republicans.
But here's the kicker, the Republicans used de-funding Planned Parenthood to threaten to shut down the government (again). Great idea? While a mere 19% those polled said the issue should be used to shut down the government, 73% said it should not be used to force a government shutdown. If a shutdown did occur, 43% would blame the GOP, only 11% would blame Obama, and 10% would blame the Democrats.
Seems to me what the Republicans are doing is sexual harassment against women. Can we sue them for that?
Besides the simple fact that the abortion rate has been declining in the U.S. and is half what it used to be in 1981, a new USA/Suffolk University poll reported twice as many of those polled supported government funding for Planned Parenthood (65%) as opposed it (29%). 91% of Democrats support the funding, compared to 59% of Republicans.
But here's the kicker, the Republicans used de-funding Planned Parenthood to threaten to shut down the government (again). Great idea? While a mere 19% those polled said the issue should be used to shut down the government, 73% said it should not be used to force a government shutdown. If a shutdown did occur, 43% would blame the GOP, only 11% would blame Obama, and 10% would blame the Democrats.
Seems to me what the Republicans are doing is sexual harassment against women. Can we sue them for that?
71
i wouldn't call it "silly."
There is a veritable assault on women's rights underway across the country in GOP-dominated legislatures with bills introduced in more than 40 states to limit or ban abortion, restrict access to birth control or other services. Laws have been passed forcing vaginal probes and interfering with the privacy of doctor/woman counselling on reproductive matters.
Federally the GOP-dominated congress voted against the Fair Pay Act insisting that women do get paid equally, and is pushing to overturn roe vs wade taking away a woman´s right to choose, dismantling planned parenthood entirely, and banning the pill through constitutional amendment.
Federally the GOP-dominated congress voted against the Fair Pay Act insisting that women do get paid equally, and is pushing to overturn roe vs wade taking away a woman´s right to choose, dismantling planned parenthood entirely, and banning the pill through constitutional amendment.
60
This is insanity enacted in full public view, much like the Salem Witch trials minus dropping to the floor, seizing and frothing at the mouth that we can infer anyway just by watching their facial expressions. We get it, Republican scolds, mostly male deacons of female morality, you disapprove of medical research and cannot imagine any action on earth that doesn't involve making a larger than life profit. Marco Rubio imagines an entire new category of employment, which is women getting pregnant for the purpose of having an abortion for the purpose of making a killing selling the tissue. How scary, except it doesn't actually work that way. It's ok, guys, just don't check off that part of your driver's license that ok's organ donation in the event of an accident. Oh, wait a minute, you're actually talking about abortion services that are not covered by federal funds. No wonder you are demonizing an organization that doesn't use federal funds for 3% of their services so it makes sense to cut off 97% of the life saving and family planning services they do. Next up, dunking witnesses in a pond to see if they sink.
80
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
The thing is, these GOP standard-bearers of congressional excellence could care less about decent health care for the low-income women they represent. Facts don't matter. The deliberate lies that drive the videos to support their warped sense of morality are all part of a systematic partisan agenda.
What we're seeing is another in a long line of Republican "issues" manufactured for the sole purpose of of sowing anger and hatred toward an organization whose worst "crime," apparently, is to provide women's health services constitutionally protected by law and sanctioned by the highest judicial authority in the Land.
How can we possibly anticipate which horse will be GOP-whipped ten years hence? We're living in a land of lunacy. We can't predict crazy; only that it will probably be crazier.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
The thing is, these GOP standard-bearers of congressional excellence could care less about decent health care for the low-income women they represent. Facts don't matter. The deliberate lies that drive the videos to support their warped sense of morality are all part of a systematic partisan agenda.
What we're seeing is another in a long line of Republican "issues" manufactured for the sole purpose of of sowing anger and hatred toward an organization whose worst "crime," apparently, is to provide women's health services constitutionally protected by law and sanctioned by the highest judicial authority in the Land.
How can we possibly anticipate which horse will be GOP-whipped ten years hence? We're living in a land of lunacy. We can't predict crazy; only that it will probably be crazier.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
71
According to Charity Navigator, Planned Parenthood gets an excellent 4* star rating. They utilize over 90% of their funds on servicing their clients and have high evaluations on all other categories. They are reimbursed for services by Medicaid or Medicare when their clients utilize those types of government-based insurances. Many doctors do not accept Medicaid due to its low reimbursement rate, thus Planned Parenthood gives that low-income community more health choices at low costs.
Planned Parenthood has a long history of servicing the community, and being competent. They operate 850 health care clinics in 50 states. After the GOP witch hunt of PP, I looked-up the salaries of the CEOs of NJ Medical Centers. It is most often around $2M a year. By that comparison, Richards is drastically underpaid.
PS. I like Boys and Girls Club of America. They taught my kids how to swim.
But they have a 3 star rating from Charity Navigator. It is hard to get 4 stars. The GOP appears not to like competent organizations, maybe they are jealous.
Planned Parenthood has a long history of servicing the community, and being competent. They operate 850 health care clinics in 50 states. After the GOP witch hunt of PP, I looked-up the salaries of the CEOs of NJ Medical Centers. It is most often around $2M a year. By that comparison, Richards is drastically underpaid.
PS. I like Boys and Girls Club of America. They taught my kids how to swim.
But they have a 3 star rating from Charity Navigator. It is hard to get 4 stars. The GOP appears not to like competent organizations, maybe they are jealous.
154
Republican-led House Committees formed for false and repetitious investigations in order to spifflicate worthy federal assistance programs
(and Democratic political opponents) have become so prevalent with the House majority, the cost of their actions totals a great deal of money.
There should be a firm law to force committee members who advocate
and pursue such nefarious schemes, especially with arrogant rudeness
during questioning, to personally share payment for costs of hearings resulting in failure to uncover illegalities.
(and Democratic political opponents) have become so prevalent with the House majority, the cost of their actions totals a great deal of money.
There should be a firm law to force committee members who advocate
and pursue such nefarious schemes, especially with arrogant rudeness
during questioning, to personally share payment for costs of hearings resulting in failure to uncover illegalities.
62
Plus wastes time from needed debate and legislation - crumbling roads for one.
The Republicans want Uncle Sam in the bedroom, living room, family room, great room, bath room, kitchen, basement, dining room, doctor's office, hospital bed and schools making sure that women are properly performing their primary female biological functions. Like being penile insertion points, sperm receptacles, cooking, cleaning, washing, baby sitting, entertaining, educating, back rubbing, ego massaging, nursing, bed room fantasizing, secondary female sexual characteristic enhancing objects of pedestal adoration.
Resting in the fragile biological reality of X Chromosome envy. Males only have one. But females have two. Which is enough to make an all female species among some vertebrates. Along with deity jealousy. In the beginning there had to be a mother.
It is hard to imagine that any rational compassionate parent planned to birth any member of the Republican U.S. House of Representatives or any 2016 Republican Presidential candidate. Less than 10% of the Republican House majority are female. And those females seem to be on board riding their favorite race horse Misogyny.
Resting in the fragile biological reality of X Chromosome envy. Males only have one. But females have two. Which is enough to make an all female species among some vertebrates. Along with deity jealousy. In the beginning there had to be a mother.
It is hard to imagine that any rational compassionate parent planned to birth any member of the Republican U.S. House of Representatives or any 2016 Republican Presidential candidate. Less than 10% of the Republican House majority are female. And those females seem to be on board riding their favorite race horse Misogyny.
112
"The Republicans want Uncle Sam in the bedroom, living room, family room, great room, bath room, kitchen, basement, dining room,"
Do you think he would paint my apartment?
Do you think he would paint my apartment?
1
The Planned Parenthood hearings would have been laughable if the potential consequences to low-income women weren't so disastrous. Planned Parenthood's "federal funding" is, as Ms. Richards pointed out, almost entirely in the form of Medicaid reimbursements for health services to low income women. They don't get grants to build new facilities. Because of the Hyde Amendment, those reimbursements are NOT made for abortion procedures (with limited exceptions for rape, incest and serious health risks to the woman). Planned Parenthood gets reimbursed for pelvic exams, breast exams, Pap smears, contraception services, menstrual problems, etc. Actual medical procedures and services that women need. Defunding Planned Parenthood will not halt any abortions. It will simply leave low income women on the hook for the costs of getting basic medical care that they need and can't afford. Can they "just go to other facilities"? Are the Republicans are thinking of "pregnancy crisis centers" that try to mislead women by giving them biased and in many cases medically inaccurate information. Quite apart from that, many of these crisis centers are not medically licensed and do not offer women the full range of health services that Planned Parenthood offers, which means that Medicaid reimbursement would probably not be available for their "patients" in any case.
109
I will say this again, because I think it's an important point to bear in mind.
Yes, the charges are false.
But it wouldn't matter if they were true. Because what the anti-abortion propagandists are doing is trying to back you into a corner of implicitly conceding that the results of an abortion are a 'baby'.
The foetus is not a 'baby'. At best it is a potential baby. There is no reason to treat it any differently from any other medical waste of a legitimate medical procedure. Would anyone demand respect or special treatment for, say, an amputated limb?
Post-op tissue is repurposed all the time. We owe much of our progress to the HeLa strain of cells removed from Henrietta Lacks. Nor is there any objection to hospitals covering their costs, or even making a profit - the only ones who don't profit handsomely from organ 'harvesting' of the brain dead are the donors and their families, who get nothing but the warm fuzzies of altruism, and the recipients, who get hit with medical bills.
So don't let them define the terms of the debate by repeatedly referring to the subject of the controversy as 'dead baby body parts'. If you let the term pass, you're implicitly accepting that definition. You must actively challenge it at every turn: These are fetuses - potential babies, but not 'babies'.
Yes, the charges are false.
But it wouldn't matter if they were true. Because what the anti-abortion propagandists are doing is trying to back you into a corner of implicitly conceding that the results of an abortion are a 'baby'.
The foetus is not a 'baby'. At best it is a potential baby. There is no reason to treat it any differently from any other medical waste of a legitimate medical procedure. Would anyone demand respect or special treatment for, say, an amputated limb?
Post-op tissue is repurposed all the time. We owe much of our progress to the HeLa strain of cells removed from Henrietta Lacks. Nor is there any objection to hospitals covering their costs, or even making a profit - the only ones who don't profit handsomely from organ 'harvesting' of the brain dead are the donors and their families, who get nothing but the warm fuzzies of altruism, and the recipients, who get hit with medical bills.
So don't let them define the terms of the debate by repeatedly referring to the subject of the controversy as 'dead baby body parts'. If you let the term pass, you're implicitly accepting that definition. You must actively challenge it at every turn: These are fetuses - potential babies, but not 'babies'.
174
I agree in may ways that the dems allow the GOP to control the "labeling". We need to stop being such cowards and call out more often on this. The "life party" believes in the death penalty, starving hungry children and their families and slashing every support system to help the less fortunate. And the refusal to allow for sex education and preventative birth control is beyond hypocritical. (There are frequent lapses of these "esteemed legislators" having sex outside of marriage, etc.!)
... and these same GOP anti abortion zealots argue about the sanctity of human life while they're fighting against affordable medical care, cheering for executions and starting pointless wars. Hypocrites!
ACW, I would challenge you to go spend an hour or two at your local NICU and see if your opinion remains the same.
Being the father of two of these "potential babies", your argument is not even ridiculous, it is depraved.
Being the father of two of these "potential babies", your argument is not even ridiculous, it is depraved.
There are countries, like the Netherlands, where abortions are almost non-existent (there will always need to be some abortions for medical reasons). How do they accomplish this? Comprehensive sex education for children, readily available, effective birth control and a well-funded social safety net that gives parents the security of knowing any children they have will be provided for. So, all these Republican Congressmen who are so appalled by the practice of abortion that they are attacking and threatening to defund an organization that provides health care for women, 97% of whose work isn't abortion and who don't use federal funds for the 3% of their work that is abortions, surely support large amounts of funding for sex education, birth control and a social safety net, right? Right?
587
Of course you are right -- but these G.O.P. congressmen (and women) are apparently incapable of holding two ideas in their heads at the same time, even if one is the solution to the other. Our only option, and prospects are dim, is for a large enough Democratic turnout in 2016 to overcome the almost insurmountable obstacle of the gerrymandered districts.
2
Nah, this is America!! Everybody's on their own. Except, of course where religious conservatives are concerned. Than we have to cater to their values
2
This full frontal attack on an organization that helps women maintain their reproductive by a committee of Congress representing the angry mob of the full majority caucus, members of whom were willing to block a vote on the budget and shut down the government to kill funding for a single national group already investigated by 7 states which found no wrong doing, with 97% of its services are without controversy and all are legal is an attack on women and democracy.
No fraud, no corruption, no theft of federal dollars occurred or is claimed--unlike defense corporations; caught, persecuted, and fined--but still allowed to do business with the government and bill massive cost overruns and see increases in their revenues!
The entire force of the House and its power over the national budget is being focused on a single organization for uncomfortable conversations and a fake tape and a false Carly claim. Think proportion: should we shut down the government to destroy a single organization? Isn't legality the job of the Justice Department, not the Congress?
When do we risk national security preparedness and create havoc in global markets in agriculture and commodities and increase our risks to the homeland to force defunding of an organization the majority of Americans support and want to see funded?
Why the crisis? Why the panic? (Why the anger and ugliness?) Is this the path to progress in America? Think history: haven't we been down this road before?
No fraud, no corruption, no theft of federal dollars occurred or is claimed--unlike defense corporations; caught, persecuted, and fined--but still allowed to do business with the government and bill massive cost overruns and see increases in their revenues!
The entire force of the House and its power over the national budget is being focused on a single organization for uncomfortable conversations and a fake tape and a false Carly claim. Think proportion: should we shut down the government to destroy a single organization? Isn't legality the job of the Justice Department, not the Congress?
When do we risk national security preparedness and create havoc in global markets in agriculture and commodities and increase our risks to the homeland to force defunding of an organization the majority of Americans support and want to see funded?
Why the crisis? Why the panic? (Why the anger and ugliness?) Is this the path to progress in America? Think history: haven't we been down this road before?
368
Re "Why the crisis? Why the panic? (Why the anger and ugliness?)
This is the manifestation of religious groups trying to impose their views on everyone else, and because these are religious views, they can't simply agree to disagree. It's also ironic when the GOP talks about the sanctity of human life while they're fighting against affordable medical care, cheering for executions and starting pointless wars.
This is the manifestation of religious groups trying to impose their views on everyone else, and because these are religious views, they can't simply agree to disagree. It's also ironic when the GOP talks about the sanctity of human life while they're fighting against affordable medical care, cheering for executions and starting pointless wars.
2
The crisis and panic is due to the fact that Republicans are not fit to govern and have no idea how else to fill their time. It has to LOOK like they're doing something, and they can't make shady deals under the table ALL the time.
2
McCarthyism is never really dead, it is always simmering beneath the surface and just needs a bit of money and power to turn up the heat.
3
"The committee members are also sure that Planned Parenthood is replaceable."
They do say that. However, I think the opposite is true. That is a calculated lie, which is so very what they are.
They know Planned Parenthood is NOT replaceable. They mean to deny health care. It is the same as with denying medical insurance.
It is spite, against government providing for people. Those getting help should get richer or do without. Bootstraps, just like them, or just like their imaginations.
They expect their voters are thinking "I don't need help, and I don't want to help them either."
Actually, their own voters are getting lots of help. If they resent helping others, it is only because they want it all for themselves. But really, they are just voting against their own interests. I expect the Republicans know that, and in the privacy of their clubs they laugh at their voters.
They do say that. However, I think the opposite is true. That is a calculated lie, which is so very what they are.
They know Planned Parenthood is NOT replaceable. They mean to deny health care. It is the same as with denying medical insurance.
It is spite, against government providing for people. Those getting help should get richer or do without. Bootstraps, just like them, or just like their imaginations.
They expect their voters are thinking "I don't need help, and I don't want to help them either."
Actually, their own voters are getting lots of help. If they resent helping others, it is only because they want it all for themselves. But really, they are just voting against their own interests. I expect the Republicans know that, and in the privacy of their clubs they laugh at their voters.
394
And they certainly should not be having sex. It always comes down to sex, doesn't it? If the right cared about babies and children (and life), they'd be all about early childhood education, meals at school, opportunity, and helping ease the stress on parents living precariously from paycheck to paycheck. They are pro birth because children aren't people to be supported, nurtured, encouraged and valued: they are the consequences people need to face up to.
1
"Bootstraps just like them"? Really? Sort of like the "bootstraps" The Trumpster inherited - millions. And look at the health services these members have for themselves and their families. Bootstraps, indeed!
What we are witnessing is a milder version of the Stalin Show Trials of the 1930's, minus the witnesses being dragged off to a Siberian gulag.
The mentality, and sheer chutzpah, though, of the interrogators is the same.
Ms. Clinton has a unique opportunity to turn the tables on her tormentors in three weeks. Clinton will be able to look the accusers in the face and tell them something they do not like to hear, namely, that they are liars and hypocrites.
As for the Planned Parenthood, auto da fe: female voters, take notice. A gaggle of preening men that would scream for a epidural at the slightest twinge of a labor pain wants control of your body.
Vote the zombie Republicans out of office 13 months from now.
The mentality, and sheer chutzpah, though, of the interrogators is the same.
Ms. Clinton has a unique opportunity to turn the tables on her tormentors in three weeks. Clinton will be able to look the accusers in the face and tell them something they do not like to hear, namely, that they are liars and hypocrites.
As for the Planned Parenthood, auto da fe: female voters, take notice. A gaggle of preening men that would scream for a epidural at the slightest twinge of a labor pain wants control of your body.
Vote the zombie Republicans out of office 13 months from now.
787
"Ms. Clinton has a unique opportunity to turn the tables on her tormentors in three weeks."
True. If she shows she is able, if she actually does that, I would reconsider voting for her.
True. If she shows she is able, if she actually does that, I would reconsider voting for her.
8
Control of your body? Since when does one side of a species decide upon a race? The privilege of carrying life and using it for birth control in killing another human being. It's an issue for all of humanity. Children are born ~~ humans.
What are the odds Trey Goudy will postpone the hearing in order to prolong the drip?
1
So much is left aside in all of these supposed hearings: That abortion is but a very small percentage of the services that PP provides; that federal funds are not used for that; that PP provides all kinds of reproductive health services for women including cancer screening and access to contraception; that many on the right also hate contraception, but then criticize poor women for having babies they "can't afford." So, if a woman is supposed to "submit" to her husband, but cannot get contraception, how is she supposed to avoid having babies she cannot afford? Then there is the little matter of the way the right-wing is so very concerned about fetuses, but votes down all kinds of funding for programs to help walking, talking poor and/or disabled children and their families once the pregnancy has been "saved" and the child is here.
823
@Anne-Marie
Based on your claim "abortion is but a very small percentage of the services" don't you think it would be in PP and its clients best interest to curtail that small percentage of their "services" to preserve access to all the other services they provide ?
As far as the representation that Federal funds are not used for abortion, that claim is specious at best. Once the money is provided to support the budget it becomes fungible no-one can prove whether or not Federal funds are spent on abortion services unless the cost of those services exceeds the funds provided by non Federal sources. The reality is Federal funds, whether or not a direct line to abortion services can be proven through forensic accounting, enables the provision of those services by freeing up the funds that otherwise would be used for services like the cancer screenings your reference.
Based on your claim "abortion is but a very small percentage of the services" don't you think it would be in PP and its clients best interest to curtail that small percentage of their "services" to preserve access to all the other services they provide ?
As far as the representation that Federal funds are not used for abortion, that claim is specious at best. Once the money is provided to support the budget it becomes fungible no-one can prove whether or not Federal funds are spent on abortion services unless the cost of those services exceeds the funds provided by non Federal sources. The reality is Federal funds, whether or not a direct line to abortion services can be proven through forensic accounting, enables the provision of those services by freeing up the funds that otherwise would be used for services like the cancer screenings your reference.
9
Pro-birth, not pro-life. Think about it.
28
Or as someone once said: They believe life starts at conception and ends at birth.
38
The Republicans do not much care that P/P provides health care to low income patients. Most low income patients do not vote, and those that do vote Deomocratic.
281
I've been rewatching "Homeland" to prepare for season 5, and I couldn't help but notice the way "interrogation" was used when questioning of suspects by the CIA gets rough.
The Congressional "hearing" of PP was more interrogation than listening tour. It was political grandstanding of the worst order, again using taxpayer dollars to pay for video clips they'll use in campaign ads.
I hope during the next interrogation Ms. Richards comes better prepared than she was in her meek appearance this week. She might point out that her salary is less than the Boys and Girls Clubs (great research, Gail!) and that the most offensive PP video of fetuses contained one slipped in there as a form of deliberate falsification--the mother of the fetus "kicking its legs" on the table came forward to say her miscarriage in a hospital, not a PP facility, was not the result of an abortion.
The video production manager has taken the 5th. That anti-abortion group is more deserving of Congressional interrogation over deliberate falsification of a stolen video than is Planned Parenthood. What's being done on the taxpayers' dime is nothing more than a miscarriage of justice, and an insult to American women everywhere, no matter what political party they belong to.
The Congressional "hearing" of PP was more interrogation than listening tour. It was political grandstanding of the worst order, again using taxpayer dollars to pay for video clips they'll use in campaign ads.
I hope during the next interrogation Ms. Richards comes better prepared than she was in her meek appearance this week. She might point out that her salary is less than the Boys and Girls Clubs (great research, Gail!) and that the most offensive PP video of fetuses contained one slipped in there as a form of deliberate falsification--the mother of the fetus "kicking its legs" on the table came forward to say her miscarriage in a hospital, not a PP facility, was not the result of an abortion.
The video production manager has taken the 5th. That anti-abortion group is more deserving of Congressional interrogation over deliberate falsification of a stolen video than is Planned Parenthood. What's being done on the taxpayers' dime is nothing more than a miscarriage of justice, and an insult to American women everywhere, no matter what political party they belong to.
1221
Maybe we're back to the days when women were blamed for miscarrying, too -- just look at the word itself. Medicine uses adjectives with the word "abortion" to distinguish its categories, I think: spontaneous, elective, missed, therapeutic, etc. I've often thought that opponents of elective abortions haven't wrapped their minds around the reality of pregnancy itself, from medical complications in women to emergencies during delivery. Clearly many women enjoy problem-free pregnancies, but prenatal care is not the important service it is for no reason -- pregnancy can be quite difficult. I think seeing the context more realistically might make elective abortions not seem so radical. The medical terminology I think captures a continuum, which seems to me to be a more helpful way of looking at the big picture.
55
They probably think all those early deaths from pregnancy and childbirth in previous centuries were god's way of assuring men could have several wives, sequentially.
4
I don't agree with the idea of her being meek -- in fact, I think she played her cards extremely well. She was cool and respectful, showing the contrast with her interrogators. And it was pretty hard for her to say anything when they wouldn't even let her speak. I was extremely grateful for the Democrats at the hearing who would let her answer the questions previously put to her by the Republicans.
But, also, who can resist smiling at the memory of her cool, polite shutdown of Rep. Chavetts (sp?). It was . . . delicious.
But, also, who can resist smiling at the memory of her cool, polite shutdown of Rep. Chavetts (sp?). It was . . . delicious.
3
That the video depicting the alleged sale of body parts was, as Gail Collins aptly put "false, false, false" but Representative John Duncan Jr., a Tennessee Republican would not believe it. Like his other GOP colleagues, he lives in a make believe world where humans have no impact on climate, a woman's body would block an unwanted pregnancy in case of a "legitimate rape," and unless we expel all Muslims from the USA Shariah law will become the law of this land.
It is simultaneously sad, funny, and scary. Sad, because of the state of governance in our country. Funny, because it provides comedians an endless supply of jokes that the provides me some cathartic relief. Scary, because such people not only exist but manage to get elected.
It is simultaneously sad, funny, and scary. Sad, because of the state of governance in our country. Funny, because it provides comedians an endless supply of jokes that the provides me some cathartic relief. Scary, because such people not only exist but manage to get elected.
289
Good points but I disagree on one statement. These guys "would not believe it".
They not only do believe it, they don't care. This is just a dog and pony show to get re-elected so they can stay at the troth of benefits they have voted for themselves.
They don't want government to help anyone but themselves.
They not only do believe it, they don't care. This is just a dog and pony show to get re-elected so they can stay at the troth of benefits they have voted for themselves.
They don't want government to help anyone but themselves.
The real scary thing is how voters are so stupid and gullible. 40% believe Obama is a Muslim, that Bush-Cheney really found wmd at Sadam's backyard, etc. When a country makes heroes with Palin, Kim Davis, you get the answer.....a scary future.
Medicaid is one of five methods that the U.S. Treasury funds PP. and at least Ms. Richards admitting all their cancer screening are just referrals. PP also contributes to every major Democratic candidate in Congress. Is that a wise use of federal funds? I am still not sure what is meant by edited footage. There is no doubt PP is in the commerce of baby parts, a very gruesome subject. Perhaps the biggest point is with passage of Obamacare, except for abortions PP is outdated as a preventative medical provider.
5
You don't know what is meant by "edited footage"?
217
They also get Title X reimbursement and have received grants for various projects/studies. Federal funds are not going to campaign contributions, and if they were I imagine one of the six or seven states that have investigated Planned Parenthood in the last few months would've noticed instead of finding PP isn't breaking any laws ("baby parts" and all).
Despite Obamacare and despite being not at all low income, I go to Planned Parenthood for birth control. Because they know about twenty times more about the birth control implants and their potential side effects than my primary care physician. Because they probably insert 200 times more birth control implants every year than my primary care physician and therefore have the insertion process (which can get wonky if done improperly) down to an art. And because I can get an appointment at Planned Parenthood the same week I try to make one; for non-emergency procedures such as a birth control implant, it takes about three months to get in at my PCP. So please tell me again how PP is "outdated."
Despite Obamacare and despite being not at all low income, I go to Planned Parenthood for birth control. Because they know about twenty times more about the birth control implants and their potential side effects than my primary care physician. Because they probably insert 200 times more birth control implants every year than my primary care physician and therefore have the insertion process (which can get wonky if done improperly) down to an art. And because I can get an appointment at Planned Parenthood the same week I try to make one; for non-emergency procedures such as a birth control implant, it takes about three months to get in at my PCP. So please tell me again how PP is "outdated."
84
You don't realize that Planned Parenthood also receives large (and small) donations from supporters and they also provide medical care on a sliding scale for people not on Medicaid. They just received a $1 million donation from one person. They don't rely on government funding alone. They'll so do very little advertising. They do provide cancer screenings such as PAP smears, but they also refer patients for mammograms as do most doctors. My doctor refers me to an X-Ray facility for my mammograms, as do all primary care doctors that I know. Mammography machines are very expensive and it is financially prohibitive for every doctor and every facility to install mammography equipment. Your arguments don't hold water if you look into the matter deeply.
53
There's no longer any doubt. These guys display the emotional age of a five year old who has yet to develop a filter between brain and mouth. And they apparently don't even realize that dirty little secrets are supposed to be secret. Instead, they openly display their undermining divisive politicized tactics like obsessively going after Richards and Planned Parenthood, abortion, and Hillary. Also like children they even throw temper tantrums threatening to shut down government when they don't get their way. And now, thanks to McCarthy, they brag on air about their misdeeds. Who does that? It's apparent that modern day Republicans aren't into governing. Instead, with little thought of consequences, they brazenly obsess, obstruct, undermine, and play dirty tricks out in the open for all to see.
208
Its not their fault, their parents didn't teach them nothing.
What is really hard to get my head around is why anyone would vote for guys like those mentioned or the dolt who was crying on the stage. These are people who are unhinged from reality. If you are a fence sitter, and this doesn't het you off nothing. will. Thanks for the added data too Gail.
157
It is ridiculous being in a debate over federal support of Planned Parenthood's funding of women's health needs.
It is also disturbing that leaders in PP were filmed discussing fetuses like animals in a high school biology classroom.
Most people would dismount their horse and admit that something that represented 3% of services provided was just as indefensible as threatening to shut down the government.
PP could easily walk away from the abortion services business, provide referrals to physicians in their neighborhoods who are willing to perform abortions, and clarify their mission statement. The twin tails leaving a PP office could be abortion and adoption, no conflict of interest whatsoever.
However, we cannot do things the easy or moderated way in the United States. We need to make an abortion a "choice" of women, wrap in misogynistic talk about White men, throw in a bunch of demagoguery, and end up in a national argument.
Abortions are bad. Bad for the women, Bad for the terminated life. And really bad for a culture that so devalues that decision that it can be filmed like a talk show interview.
Get a clue.
It is also disturbing that leaders in PP were filmed discussing fetuses like animals in a high school biology classroom.
Most people would dismount their horse and admit that something that represented 3% of services provided was just as indefensible as threatening to shut down the government.
PP could easily walk away from the abortion services business, provide referrals to physicians in their neighborhoods who are willing to perform abortions, and clarify their mission statement. The twin tails leaving a PP office could be abortion and adoption, no conflict of interest whatsoever.
However, we cannot do things the easy or moderated way in the United States. We need to make an abortion a "choice" of women, wrap in misogynistic talk about White men, throw in a bunch of demagoguery, and end up in a national argument.
Abortions are bad. Bad for the women, Bad for the terminated life. And really bad for a culture that so devalues that decision that it can be filmed like a talk show interview.
Get a clue.
16
If you could get pregnant, Stu, there would be a free abortion clinic on every street rivaling Dunkin Donuts shops.
Talk about being clueless.
As the father of a 20-something female, I would want my daughter's difficult decision to terminate an unwanted pregnancy to be hers, and not governed by some male political hack grandstanding on national television and wasting my tax dollars in the process.
Talk about being clueless.
As the father of a 20-something female, I would want my daughter's difficult decision to terminate an unwanted pregnancy to be hers, and not governed by some male political hack grandstanding on national television and wasting my tax dollars in the process.
665
It is ridiculous to claim that Planned Parenthood could turn over its abortion patients to "physicians in their neighborhoods." The "right to life" crowd has used selective murder to discourage doctors from performing abortions.
It is ridiculous to state categorically that abortions are bad and simply incorrect to state that they are "bad for the women." Where is your evidence for that statement? Surveys consistently show that the vast majority of women who have abortions feel relieved and very positive about having had the ability to choose termination. And at the stage when the vast majority of abortions are performed, the "life" has no self-awareness and could easily be mistaken for a blood clot.
"Most people would dismount their horse and admit that something that represented 3% of services provided was just as indefensible as threatening to shut down the government."
Most people haven't dismounted. Support for Planned Parenthood continues to be widespread and strong. Support for shutting down the government, OTOH, is barely detectable by sensitive instruments--because people can see the great harm it inflicts on all of us.
It is ridiculous to state categorically that abortions are bad and simply incorrect to state that they are "bad for the women." Where is your evidence for that statement? Surveys consistently show that the vast majority of women who have abortions feel relieved and very positive about having had the ability to choose termination. And at the stage when the vast majority of abortions are performed, the "life" has no self-awareness and could easily be mistaken for a blood clot.
"Most people would dismount their horse and admit that something that represented 3% of services provided was just as indefensible as threatening to shut down the government."
Most people haven't dismounted. Support for Planned Parenthood continues to be widespread and strong. Support for shutting down the government, OTOH, is barely detectable by sensitive instruments--because people can see the great harm it inflicts on all of us.
141
If you believe sincerely that abortions are bad, then you must support early childhood sex education, access to contraception, access to gynecological care, and access to prenatal care, because unintended pregnancies are the largest reason given for abortions. And by the way, abortions were not invented by Roe v Wade. They have been around for thousands of years. The only question is will they be legal and safe, or illegal and dangerous to a woman's life and reproductive future.
201
"This is of course a reference to those heavily doctored videos that are supposed to prove that Planned Parenthood sells fetal tissue for a profit. They have been determined to be false, false, false on one count after another ..."
Gail, you can say that a million times, but it doesn't make it so. The meme has gone from "heavily edited" to "heavily doctored", to imply that the videos were changed in some way to reflect something that didn't happen. If this were true, then Planned Parenthood would be showing specific examples of said "doctoring". Don't expect to see any examples of "doctoring", because the "doctoring" only exists in the minds of the far left and NY Times editorial writers.
The full, unedited versions of the videos exist right beside the edited versions for people to view and make a judgment for themselves. I'm sure, in the interest of editorial accuracy, you've taken the time to view the full versions of the videos before pontificating on their accuracy?
This memetic theme of "doctored" videos is a classic example of why the vast majority of Americans don't trust propaganda organs for the left - propagandists like the New York Times.
Gail, you can say that a million times, but it doesn't make it so. The meme has gone from "heavily edited" to "heavily doctored", to imply that the videos were changed in some way to reflect something that didn't happen. If this were true, then Planned Parenthood would be showing specific examples of said "doctoring". Don't expect to see any examples of "doctoring", because the "doctoring" only exists in the minds of the far left and NY Times editorial writers.
The full, unedited versions of the videos exist right beside the edited versions for people to view and make a judgment for themselves. I'm sure, in the interest of editorial accuracy, you've taken the time to view the full versions of the videos before pontificating on their accuracy?
This memetic theme of "doctored" videos is a classic example of why the vast majority of Americans don't trust propaganda organs for the left - propagandists like the New York Times.
4
Actually the videos were analysed KCY, although you apparently chose to forgo reading about it. They were cut up and missing large chunks based on the time stamps, and some of the audio quoted most by anti-choice zealots couldn't even be confirmed as authentic. At the end of the day, they were determined to be useless for any legal purposes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/28/us/abortion-planned-parenthood-videos....
The video Fiorina referenced was a combination of totally unrelated things. The images she mentioned were actually of stillborn births, having nothing to do with abortion. The interview in that video is of a person not actually hired by Planned Parenthood and whose story has never been verified in the least.
And many republican lead states immediately launched investigations into these supposed procedures after the videos were released. So far, combined, they've come up with zilch. Florida republicans, however, decided finding nothing wasn't good enough, so they went out of their way to hide their findings.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2015/09/03/rick_scott_s_office_mani...
It seems you're the "propaganda organ" here, regurgitating debunked claims over and over as if they're true.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/28/us/abortion-planned-parenthood-videos....
The video Fiorina referenced was a combination of totally unrelated things. The images she mentioned were actually of stillborn births, having nothing to do with abortion. The interview in that video is of a person not actually hired by Planned Parenthood and whose story has never been verified in the least.
And many republican lead states immediately launched investigations into these supposed procedures after the videos were released. So far, combined, they've come up with zilch. Florida republicans, however, decided finding nothing wasn't good enough, so they went out of their way to hide their findings.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2015/09/03/rick_scott_s_office_mani...
It seems you're the "propaganda organ" here, regurgitating debunked claims over and over as if they're true.
19
So you are unaware of the fact that the editing being called out by the commies in fact changed the meaning of the discussions illegally filmed? Fetal tissue research is legal and important. Even Dr. Carson would admit that. The editing of these videos made it should like PP was doing this legal activity for profit, and with illegal procedures, both demonstrably false impressions.
So, in fact, the editing of these videos is the crime here.
So, in fact, the editing of these videos is the crime here.
6
@kcy: Don't let facts and actual objective thinking get in the way of your bigotry. Please present evidence, say in having people who have actually witnessed or been part of these falsely-claimed acts come forward and testify to them. Or would that entail your taking too much time away from your illogical, inaccurate and lying propaganda machine, obscenely labeled fox news? The complete lack of intellect and honesty on the part of Repub's is stunning - it used to be standard practice for people who showed such delusionary propensities to be referred to mental institutions for observation and treatment; now such individuals seem to just join the republican party.
8
Why is Congress attacking an organization for doing something (harvesting fetal body parts) that Congress itself has declared to be perfectly legal?
Once again Republicans are showing themselves to be leaders in one thing: Hypocrisy.
Once again Republicans are showing themselves to be leaders in one thing: Hypocrisy.
175
So, "Planned Parenthood Talks".
I am a preacher and I don't want to be mean, but I need you to think about the following:
Those 57 million babies the United States of America aborted during the past 42 years never had a chance to "talk", walk, or even see the light of one Earth day.
What do you think about that?
www.ltgof.net
I am a preacher and I don't want to be mean, but I need you to think about the following:
Those 57 million babies the United States of America aborted during the past 42 years never had a chance to "talk", walk, or even see the light of one Earth day.
What do you think about that?
www.ltgof.net
12
Pastor Page
Whatever the number of abortions over the last 42 years, the procedure is legal. I don't like abortion any more than you do but it is the law and a woman has the right to make that decision. Any conjecture about what might happen or not is completely beside the point. One might as well hypothesize that one of the unborn might be a new Gandhi or another Martin Luther King, Jr.
Whatever the number of abortions over the last 42 years, the procedure is legal. I don't like abortion any more than you do but it is the law and a woman has the right to make that decision. Any conjecture about what might happen or not is completely beside the point. One might as well hypothesize that one of the unborn might be a new Gandhi or another Martin Luther King, Jr.
58
I think that adding those 57 million babies to the United States population would make the US an even greater contributor to the looming catastrophe of climate change - inasmuch as the ecological footprint of the prototypical American is exponentially larger than that of a person living in a largely rural, emerging market nation.
I also think that the souls of those 57 million babies were actually recirculated through the system, and eventually became flesh through pregnancies w
I also think that the souls of those 57 million babies were actually recirculated through the system, and eventually became flesh through pregnancies w
30
(to complete my point from the previous comment...)
...through pregnancies in which the children were loved and wanted.
I don't believe in a God who is an idiot, and creates places like Limbo for babies who fail to get baptized; or has anything to do with philosophical abominations like predestination.
I believe in Nature's God, a God of evolution, and in a systems where souls, over multiple lifetimes, get more than enough rope to eventually hoist themselves to the heavens.
You might disagree, but you have no right to impose your religious views on me or any other American. Please make a note of this.
...through pregnancies in which the children were loved and wanted.
I don't believe in a God who is an idiot, and creates places like Limbo for babies who fail to get baptized; or has anything to do with philosophical abominations like predestination.
I believe in Nature's God, a God of evolution, and in a systems where souls, over multiple lifetimes, get more than enough rope to eventually hoist themselves to the heavens.
You might disagree, but you have no right to impose your religious views on me or any other American. Please make a note of this.
43
So if this is truly intended to be a "fact finding" hearing, why wasn't the party that created the video also questioned?
Guess it doesn't fit the narrative...
Guess it doesn't fit the narrative...
453
When ordinary citizens exhibit the kind of delusional thinking that these Republicans do, worried friends and relatives strive to get them psychiatric help. Unfortunately, the people in Congress believe they are sane and the world is out to get them and theirs. They are paranoid, narcissistic, and extremely delusional, but since their constituents are too, we've all got to live in the asylum with them.
180
Cecile Richards was not a witness at a Congreesional hearing; she was in the stocks at a star chamber proceeding, even if this was a public event. The root of this, of course, is Roe v. Wade, decided 42 years ago. The Right has never let it go. Their assault on women's health services and counseling is so driven by hypocrisy that it is truly frightening to behold. American women have a right to respect for their bodies and decisions regarding the same. They are promised equal protection under the law by the very Constitution their attackers (supposedly) hold dear. This fabricated fetal foolish fiction, jumped up by the benighted Right, attacks every American woman where she lives: in her very being and personhood. These proceedings endanger not only women but children and entire families as well. Where are the cries from the Right about family values? Finally, regarding Ms. Richards' compensation, it's quite rich that the House would shut down the government while working 13 days a month for a not mean wage and splendid perks. I guess this is what America wants because it's what we have.
729
The moral argument against harvesting aborted baby body organs to maximize reimbursement value is not an assault on women's health services. Just what part of "health" does that practice support?
I think we should have a government shutdown over issues that wealthy interests want to keep in the budget.
For example, federal subsidies for ethanol production for gasoline. It takes more energy to produce ethanol than the ethanol contains. All to boost the price of corn for the farm lobby.
And how about all payments and tax benefits to organizations with religious agendas, such as Hobby Lobby? No federal money goes to support abortions, but the shutdown advocates say all money is fungible, and any money going to Planned Parenthood helps it in the abortion arena. Well, the same argument goes for federal money and tax benefits going to businesses whose owners run them with a religious based agenda. Federal financial benefits means the federal support of specific religious views, in violation of the Anti-Establishment clause of the Constitution.
For example, federal subsidies for ethanol production for gasoline. It takes more energy to produce ethanol than the ethanol contains. All to boost the price of corn for the farm lobby.
And how about all payments and tax benefits to organizations with religious agendas, such as Hobby Lobby? No federal money goes to support abortions, but the shutdown advocates say all money is fungible, and any money going to Planned Parenthood helps it in the abortion arena. Well, the same argument goes for federal money and tax benefits going to businesses whose owners run them with a religious based agenda. Federal financial benefits means the federal support of specific religious views, in violation of the Anti-Establishment clause of the Constitution.
251
You are correct. Money is fungible.
Therefore everyone who pays taxes is forced to participate in every abortion performed at Planned Parenthood.
No one is forced to shop at Hobby Lobby.
Thanks for making that clear.
Therefore everyone who pays taxes is forced to participate in every abortion performed at Planned Parenthood.
No one is forced to shop at Hobby Lobby.
Thanks for making that clear.
Sorry Fred. Using your logic, everyone who is a taxpayer must absorb the tax impact of tax benefits given to Hobby Lobby, not just those who shop there.
7
We can always boycott businesses that mix too much religion with their business. I stopped going to Marriott Hotels after I stayed in one years ago where the only cable news was Fox, I would never shop at Hobby Lobby and I don't care for ChickFilA anyway.
5
Joseph Goebbels has many pupils, who have taken to heart his motto that repeating lies make them true. Perhaps those pupils are even proud of following such a distinguished teacher?
319
The "Goebbels" reference is unfortunate. We can disagree without calling each other Nazis.
2
Republicans claim they can govern? "Never mind. It’s hopeless."
We didn't need Kevin McCarthy to tell us that the Benghazi hearings have been nothing more than a Republican political attack of trumped up aspersions on the person they knew was going to be the most formidable Democratic candidate for president. The shear audacity of his admission shows how callously he holds his oath and responsibility to govern our country. Republican claims to governing our country is just a pretense to running the country like some gang of heavy-handed thugs. Kevin McCarthy shares more than a name with Joseph McCarthy; like the head of the 1950's inquisition, Kevin McCarthy does not care about truth, he simply intends to use his power to destroy people.
We didn't need Kevin McCarthy to tell us that the Benghazi hearings have been nothing more than a Republican political attack of trumped up aspersions on the person they knew was going to be the most formidable Democratic candidate for president. The shear audacity of his admission shows how callously he holds his oath and responsibility to govern our country. Republican claims to governing our country is just a pretense to running the country like some gang of heavy-handed thugs. Kevin McCarthy shares more than a name with Joseph McCarthy; like the head of the 1950's inquisition, Kevin McCarthy does not care about truth, he simply intends to use his power to destroy people.
350
In most advanced Western democracies, geo-politics , global and domestic market forces, the science behind our changing environment, the social issues of poverty, crime, racism, discrimination, income disparity and health care are the focus of their elected representatives. Only in the US do we have a "serious" political party who spend their time and taxpayer resources attempting to legislate their citizen's sex lives and keep (poor) women in reproductive chains. I guess when the world's problems get too complicated for tiny minds, talking about sex is the best option.
810
...unfortunately for you , you have proven you possess on of those tiny minds. This is not an issue of sex, or women's health, or any other of the smoke screen arguments floated by the tiny mind society of which you presumably belong. It's a call to protect the most vulnerable of citizens who cannot protect themselves by eliminating a barbaric practice that is unworthy of a place in a civilized society.
Must disagree John. Those tiny minds belong to those who continue to make abortion necessary by trying to limit if not ban access to effective and affordable contraception and push for "abstinence" only sex education in school. As far as "barbarism" is concerned, forcing women or even young girls who are victims of rape and incest, women who are carrying unviable fetuses, and women whose pregnancies put their lives in danger, to carry to term seems "unworthy of a civilized society" in my book.
12
Who would've thought, when, say, we of a certain age were in our 20's, that years down the road , there would still be people totally focused on controlling women's bodies and choices - as if we females were more dangerous than Putin or ISIS or deteriorating infrastructure? Ugly egregious attacks.
1162
I always thought this would happen. It is in the nature of ideology and fanaticism to need to control someone, and unfortunately it is very often women.
8
but not as dangerous as the teacher union! ( said sarcastically )
5
Yes, it is disgusting what the Republicans displayed in that inquisition visited upon the top administrator of Planned Parenthood. It was silly too. And full of lies. What can we do about it? Vote for Bernie Sanders. And form grass root coalitions to wipe those farts out of the congress and senate and replace them with empathetic humans!
163
Why not vote for the candidate who's been at the forefront of women's health issues as well as women's rights for almost thirty years?
(Hint: it's not Bernie Sanders)
(Hint: it's not Bernie Sanders)
7
There's nothing very new about groups of politicians getting together to bully those that they disagree with. There's also nothing new about individual politicians grabbing hold of false statements or phony evidence to advance their pathological need for attention. However, the extent to which the current GOP pack seize on crazy "evidence" as their official line is breathtaking. GOP leadership circles the ethical drain and pulls the rest of society down with it.
844
It's hard to watch any part of the GOP'er circus act and not be extremely concerned that one of these pandering loons could soon be chosen Speaker, and could become POTUS if something horrible were to happen to Obama and Biden.
Since it is not mandatory that the Speaker even be an elected Representative, we suggest Democrats come up with some alternate names that would actually take note of the Speaker's very high constitutional position (Jon Stewart, maybe a couple of retired judges ?) to take the Speaker's chair, especially following Kevin McCarthy's admission that the House is using its investigation powers as a political weapon against Sec. Clinton.
Since Kevin McCarthy has only been in the House about 10 years, and only has 2 pieces of legislation he has sponsored that have become law (re-naming a post office in his district, re-naming a transportation center in his district) and has been in the House less time than any Speaker since 1891:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/28/kevin-mccarthy-...
experience is not even a requirement.
Since it is not mandatory that the Speaker even be an elected Representative, we suggest Democrats come up with some alternate names that would actually take note of the Speaker's very high constitutional position (Jon Stewart, maybe a couple of retired judges ?) to take the Speaker's chair, especially following Kevin McCarthy's admission that the House is using its investigation powers as a political weapon against Sec. Clinton.
Since Kevin McCarthy has only been in the House about 10 years, and only has 2 pieces of legislation he has sponsored that have become law (re-naming a post office in his district, re-naming a transportation center in his district) and has been in the House less time than any Speaker since 1891:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/28/kevin-mccarthy-...
experience is not even a requirement.
230
True for President also, witness Fiorina and Trump.
31
Watching the hearing made it clear to me that it is now pointless to engage with these Republicans. They care nothing for the truth, so there is really nothing to discuss. They have created their own world in which statements have more to do with what their constituents would like to be true and think should be true than what is actually true. They are more in the realm of belief than opinion, and hence we really have no political life left. It's a sort of religion all the way down.
463
The Republicans have God on their side. They don't need facts, evidence or reason.
231
Incorrect- they have half god on their side, the half that agrees with them on family, gays, abortion. Not the half that worries about the environment and the poor.
19
Liberals will once again take one statement from one politician out of context and build an entire conspiracy theory out of it. This time it will be the Kevin McCarthy statement. A perfectly reasonable interpretation of what he said is that because Republicans refused to let Hillary Clinton stonewall, the truth is emerging and her poll numbers are plummeting. Before McCarthy, they had a misinterpreted statement by Mitch McConnell to prove that it was President Obama who was honestly seeking compromise, but the that the Republicans would reflexively oppose anything the president proposed, ignoring President Obama's unequivocal rejection of compromise on his first major legislative effort with the statement, "Elections have consequences." And before that they had an obscure Nixon staffer's quote to tar the Republican Party with a hidden racist agenda known as the "Southern Strategy."
Of course, liberals have completely rejected any need for facts. Are human body parts harvested for sale at Planned Parenthood clinics? Yes. Does PP negotiate the price of those body parts? Yes. Do they manipulate the abortion process to facilitate harvesting marketable "tissue"? Yes. Are human babies terminated after surviving outside the womb at PP? Yes. But none of these facts matters to those blindly declaring that the videos are "false, false, false."
Of course, liberals have completely rejected any need for facts. Are human body parts harvested for sale at Planned Parenthood clinics? Yes. Does PP negotiate the price of those body parts? Yes. Do they manipulate the abortion process to facilitate harvesting marketable "tissue"? Yes. Are human babies terminated after surviving outside the womb at PP? Yes. But none of these facts matters to those blindly declaring that the videos are "false, false, false."
8
charles: I'm afraid it's you who have twisted the truth and refuse to look at the
facts. Firstly ,it is clear that the Bengazi nonsense perpetrated on us by the Repub.
committee is a political witch hunt, and it's been obvious from the beginning -
nothing has been justified and excessive money has been spent on this claptrap.
As to planned parenthood - another disgusting display of the lies and distortions
republican rightists are capable of. You should be ashamed of the committee that
grilled Cecile Richards, rudely interrupting her, not hearing the truth of the matter
and behaving like members of the McCarthy trials of another time. Once more
the Republican right has ignored the facts and indulged in the most despicable
display of injustice which only they are capable of. Have you people no shame?
facts. Firstly ,it is clear that the Bengazi nonsense perpetrated on us by the Repub.
committee is a political witch hunt, and it's been obvious from the beginning -
nothing has been justified and excessive money has been spent on this claptrap.
As to planned parenthood - another disgusting display of the lies and distortions
republican rightists are capable of. You should be ashamed of the committee that
grilled Cecile Richards, rudely interrupting her, not hearing the truth of the matter
and behaving like members of the McCarthy trials of another time. Once more
the Republican right has ignored the facts and indulged in the most despicable
display of injustice which only they are capable of. Have you people no shame?
145
You are the blind one!
50
Out of context? You fail to explain this. It's a direct quote, offered up without asking.
57
I'd say Ms. Richards deserves a raise. And combat pay.
948
The Republica Party will not be sated until a Christian theocracy is installed in the US. Then all the evildoers will receive their just reward, and Kim Davis can rule the land. Oh, and that whole separation of church and state thing in the Constitution? We'll just conveniently ignore that part, just like the parts of the Bible that God didn't really mean. Rome truly is burning.
360
There is one and only one thing these hearings were or should have been about: Planned Parenthood's fleecing of fetal corpses and of taxpayers to subsidize its blood business. Gail neatly fails to mention that.
7
Wrong, JGro .So very wrong. Why can't you folks accept the facts and move on?
91
Gail fails to mention that because it is a lie.
125
Gail mentioned that the videos were heavily doctored and the FACTS have been ignored.
72
Brava, Gail! And I love your parting comment on the salary issue. Well done.
388
I wish I had John Boehner's job so I, too, could quit. I have simply had it up to here with these moronic blowhards. In the interest of fair play I used to at least try to understand their motives and goals but no more. I could trot out the usual adjectives to describe these low-intelligence Neanderthals - there's a couple right there - but I'm too tired and worn down so I'll leave it to my more articulate fellow commenters. My love of country and fairness keeps me invested in the process but our broken system leaves me nearly without hope. There's only one thing I feel completely certain about: sometime in the future all religion must be completely and thoroughly scrubbed from politics and government operations. Without that there is truly no hope for a functioning and healthy government, anywhere.
487
Indeed, as we now see clearly when Pope Francis's triumphant state visit is tainted by getting involved with the Kentucky clerk who refuses to do her job and whose cases has been found without merit in the courts consistently.
13
I watched part of the House Committee's grilling of Cecile Richards.
As the bullies that they are, their treatment of her was rude, disrespectful, and utterly disgusting.
They were not at all interested in hearing her answers to their questions, as indicated by the fact that her answers were continually interrupted.
She was never allowed to complete a sentence, make a necessary point, or provide an explanation.
Such boorish behavior demeans this House Committee and by extension the entire House of Representatives as well.
A pox on this Republican House of ill-repute.
As the bullies that they are, their treatment of her was rude, disrespectful, and utterly disgusting.
They were not at all interested in hearing her answers to their questions, as indicated by the fact that her answers were continually interrupted.
She was never allowed to complete a sentence, make a necessary point, or provide an explanation.
Such boorish behavior demeans this House Committee and by extension the entire House of Representatives as well.
A pox on this Republican House of ill-repute.
1111
MNW: All you say is true. Plus, I agree with other comments that GOP legislators are sexist.
However, if you watched the House hearing on the Iran Agreement, featuring Secretaries Kerry, Lew, and Muniz (all highly knowledgeable, intelligent, articulate men), you will have seen very much of the same. The Representatives engaged in speech making, interrupting, rudeness, ignorance, disinformation, and a near-total disinterest in really hearing the testimony. The GOP (and a few Democrats, in that instance) are solely interested in theater, grandstanding, reelection campaigns, ideology, and partisan politics; not governing like thoughtful adults.
Good government would entail requiring "investigative committees" that hold hearings actually to "hear" witnesses, i.e., to simply ask direct questions, allow a specified, uninterrupted time for answers, with follow-up questions merely clarifying ambiguous points or unanswered questions. I doubt we will EVER have that type of "good government," as least as long as we vote in the buffoons we now have in the majority party in the House of Representatives.
However, if you watched the House hearing on the Iran Agreement, featuring Secretaries Kerry, Lew, and Muniz (all highly knowledgeable, intelligent, articulate men), you will have seen very much of the same. The Representatives engaged in speech making, interrupting, rudeness, ignorance, disinformation, and a near-total disinterest in really hearing the testimony. The GOP (and a few Democrats, in that instance) are solely interested in theater, grandstanding, reelection campaigns, ideology, and partisan politics; not governing like thoughtful adults.
Good government would entail requiring "investigative committees" that hold hearings actually to "hear" witnesses, i.e., to simply ask direct questions, allow a specified, uninterrupted time for answers, with follow-up questions merely clarifying ambiguous points or unanswered questions. I doubt we will EVER have that type of "good government," as least as long as we vote in the buffoons we now have in the majority party in the House of Representatives.
44
The old white men of the House are just mad at Ms. Richards because not only is she a woman out of the home but she makes more money than they do.
14
"A pox on this Republican House of ill-repute" ?
I think chickenpox would be appropriate.
I think chickenpox would be appropriate.
4
Ms. Collinas has a delicious sense of irony and humor. However,
there is nothing funny about the war on Planned Parenthood
which is part of the larger war on women being waged by
the GOP. Defund Planned Parenthood and you take away health
care for millions.
It does not matter that the videos were doctored and Planned Parenthood
provides legal services to people who need it.
The GOP men clealry had no idea how mammos work and where
you get them. The message is simple: Ladies, if you die you die
and if you die you can't vote.
Earth to GOP: Planned Parenthood is popular. You are not.
there is nothing funny about the war on Planned Parenthood
which is part of the larger war on women being waged by
the GOP. Defund Planned Parenthood and you take away health
care for millions.
It does not matter that the videos were doctored and Planned Parenthood
provides legal services to people who need it.
The GOP men clealry had no idea how mammos work and where
you get them. The message is simple: Ladies, if you die you die
and if you die you can't vote.
Earth to GOP: Planned Parenthood is popular. You are not.
990
We will see if this disgusting gambit works for the repubs. Here is a clue: if the person you are trying to have a reasoned discussion with interrupts and refuses to let you answer the questions, then he is a liar and does not want his lies exposed.
11
bill, I agree with you - except that Planned Parenthood provides important medical services to people who need them, not legal services.
7
RE "Defund Planned Parenthood and you take away health
care for millions."
Recall too that these GOP thugs voted 50 times to dismantle Obamacare to take away health care for multi millions more. These guys with their gold plated healthcare coverage at taxpayers expense would rather have people die than provide a helping hand exemplifying the worst of society´s ills ... the apathy of mindless privilege.
care for millions."
Recall too that these GOP thugs voted 50 times to dismantle Obamacare to take away health care for multi millions more. These guys with their gold plated healthcare coverage at taxpayers expense would rather have people die than provide a helping hand exemplifying the worst of society´s ills ... the apathy of mindless privilege.
13
"commitment to insanely irrational politics" - yep. That about sums it up. Smh.
111
I think Gail Collins is being unfair to House Republicans. They’re only doing their job, which is to put on show trials that score political points under the pretense of gathering information. People think that this is easy, but it’s not. It takes precious time away from legislating. It makes the members look like pandering fools.
But they gladly bear these burdens, because there is a long and honorable tradition to uphold of sham governments railroading their political enemies with theatrical flair. Do we want North Korea to do a better job than the United States of America? Of course not.
I’m not sure Ms. Collins realizes that Planned Parenthood spends a lot of money and resources helping poor women. Many of them are minorities, and all of them are having sex. If there are three things that Republicans despise more, I don’t know what they might be. And we are a Christian nation. Allowing women to control their bodies would be an offense against God.
Carly Fiorina said that she’s almost certain there was a video that probably showed something bad, or if there wasn’t there should have been. So Cecile Richards has a lot of explaining to do. Who are you going to believe, a woman who sells baby parts, or a woman who ran two large companies and wants to bring those same managerial skills to the highest office in the land?
This investigation is taking time away from the crucial Benghazi cover-up, so let's get our priorities straight. God bless America.
But they gladly bear these burdens, because there is a long and honorable tradition to uphold of sham governments railroading their political enemies with theatrical flair. Do we want North Korea to do a better job than the United States of America? Of course not.
I’m not sure Ms. Collins realizes that Planned Parenthood spends a lot of money and resources helping poor women. Many of them are minorities, and all of them are having sex. If there are three things that Republicans despise more, I don’t know what they might be. And we are a Christian nation. Allowing women to control their bodies would be an offense against God.
Carly Fiorina said that she’s almost certain there was a video that probably showed something bad, or if there wasn’t there should have been. So Cecile Richards has a lot of explaining to do. Who are you going to believe, a woman who sells baby parts, or a woman who ran two large companies and wants to bring those same managerial skills to the highest office in the land?
This investigation is taking time away from the crucial Benghazi cover-up, so let's get our priorities straight. God bless America.
1546
gemi, I can imagine many House Republicans reading you comment and thinking that it sums up their views perfectly. They have no irony gene as well as no shame.
28
Don't forget the emails, global warming and evolution. The GOP has its hands completely full so there's no point in considering foreign policy or infrastructure needs. Discussing anything with these people is asking to be beaten to death with "stupid".
14
I agree with the spirit of gmli's comment, but some parts of it are incomplete.
- Clearly not all PP clients are having sex.
- I would complete this sentence: "Who are you going to believe, a woman who [allegedly] sold baby parts, or a woman who ran two large companies [into the ground] and wants to bring those managerial skills to the highest office in the land?
- Clearly not all PP clients are having sex.
- I would complete this sentence: "Who are you going to believe, a woman who [allegedly] sold baby parts, or a woman who ran two large companies [into the ground] and wants to bring those managerial skills to the highest office in the land?
23
If you think life is fruitful, good,
Then don't head up Planned Parenthood,
Committees rude, with questions crude
On what your salary is, will brood,
One thing is certain, just expect,
If you're a Woman, disrespect,
The feral pack won't grant you slack,
Just pray for Dems to shield your back.
A pack of lies surface anew
And no one asks you if they're true,
Planned Parenthood, it's understood
Is up to something that's no good,
The Truth, that concept once adored
Has now been brutally ignored,
Don't plan on a vacation, hear,
They're sure to make you reappear!
Then don't head up Planned Parenthood,
Committees rude, with questions crude
On what your salary is, will brood,
One thing is certain, just expect,
If you're a Woman, disrespect,
The feral pack won't grant you slack,
Just pray for Dems to shield your back.
A pack of lies surface anew
And no one asks you if they're true,
Planned Parenthood, it's understood
Is up to something that's no good,
The Truth, that concept once adored
Has now been brutally ignored,
Don't plan on a vacation, hear,
They're sure to make you reappear!
191
Larry,
I hope Ms. Richards sees this morning's entry!
I hope Ms. Richards sees this morning's entry!
7